Where should I start?

[Kratos]

Hello people of DevBest. I'm posting this thread as I've always wanted to develop my own retro and possibly open it to the public but never knew how to do so. No, I'm not asking for someone to develop for me, I want you guys to show me where to start off in terms of coding, give me tips etc. I'm just a normal user who plays Habbo Retros often. I have almost 0 experience in coding and I've always wanted to learn how to code. So my questions to you guys are,

- What coding languages do I need to know in order to start a Habbo Retro?
- What software(s) do I need to download to edit my Habbo Retro's "emulator/CMS"?
- Is developing a retro hard/easy/long/boring?

I'm not really looking for tips on how to maintain a positive user base, just how to develop a retro first!

I know some people might reply with a link to a tutorial but honestly I've watched some and they show nothing but just to download shit ton of things. It doesn't really show how to really develop one. Feedback from anyone experienced will be greatly appreciated! I hope to post another thread/reply to show my progress!

Thanks for reading.

 

[Kak]

u dont need to know how to develop in order to make a retro but if u want to learn how to develop to code your own cms or something then yeah. im not sure if there are any coding tutorials on here. the best people to ask are guys like @LeChris @Quackster @Damien who are true coders. they may be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Kratos]

u dont need to know how to develop in order to make a retro but if u want to learn how to develop to code your own cms or something then yeah. im not sure if there are any coding tutorials on here. the best people to ask are guys like @LeChris @Quackster @Damien who are true coders. they may be able to point you in the right direction.

Really confused by this reply. Surely you need to have some coding knowledge to edit lines/fix bugs in your emu.

 

[Mikee]

Really confused by this reply. Surely you need to have some coding knowledge to edit lines/fix bugs in your emu.

You must be registered for see links

Do that course, then pick up a Java Emulator like Arcuturus or how ever its spelt.
Also, build a retro first following a tutorial, then slowly fix using issues devbest fixes previously posted. Don't just implement the fixes but read them, read how something is being fixed, and ask yourself, why does this work.
When you get an error, read the error, and ask why does this occur.

From there, keep doing more complicated things. From simple fixes to putting in some commands already coded on devbest.
From there, make ur own commands, then keep growing from there.
Its a process that takes time.

P.S Even if you wanna use a C# based emulator you should still follow the Mooc.fi link i gave you.
A big problem that many developers on this forum have is distinguishing languages vs programming. If you know how to program, jumping between languages is relatively easy.

If you find your whole process interesting, and wanna move further, learn more programming related knowledge. Data structures, algorithms, software design, OOP Design, memory management, etc.

 

[Kak]

Really confused by this reply. Surely you need to have some coding knowledge to edit lines/fix bugs in your emu.

it depends what, some things dont require coding knowledge to fix. fast food requires coding knowledge but things like fixing group badges etc do not. most of the time if someone needs help fixing something in the emu they post a thread or there is a fix release for that problem

 

[Platinum]

Really confused by this reply. Surely you need to have some coding knowledge to edit lines/fix bugs in your emu.

What he means is that if you find an appropriate, easy to understand tutorial, you would be able to make a Habbo Retro with having little to no experience with coding whatsoever; if you were to however edit the site the retro is hosted on (CMS/Theme), then that would require you to have some knowledge to languages such as HTML, PHP & CSS, although such languages as HTML & PHP are somewhat on the verge of being depreciated (or are already depreciated), editing a CMS/Theme would require you to have AT LEAST a small amount of knowledge of these languages.

OFF TOPIC: Ugh I spent forever writing and @Mikee already gave a much more plausible answer than me!

 

[Kratos]

********
Do that course, then pick up a Java Emulator like Arcuturus or how ever its spelt.
Also, build a retro first following a tutorial, then slowly fix using issues devbest fixes previously posted. Don't just implement the fixes but read them, read how something is being fixed, and ask yourself, why does this work.
When you get an error, read the error, and ask why does this occur.

From there, keep doing more complicated things. From simple fixes to putting in some commands already coded on devbest.
From there, make ur own commands, then keep growing from there.
Its a process that takes time.

P.S Even if you wanna use a C# based emulator you should still follow the Mooc.fi link i gave you.
A big problem that many developers on this forum have is distinguishing languages vs programming. If you know how to program, jumping between languages is relatively easy.

If you find your whole process interesting, and wanna move further, learn more programming related knowledge. Data structures, algorithms, software design, OOP Design, memory management, etc.

Thanks for this reply, rly helpful and I'll probably follow this route. I know I stated I've seen tutorials on how to create a retro but can you link me an updated, easy to follow tutorial? <3 Again, thanks for this helpful reply.

 

[Mikee]

Thanks for this reply, rly helpful and I'll probably follow this route. I know I stated I've seen tutorials on how to create a retro but can you link me an updated, easy to follow tutorial? <3 Again, thanks for this helpful reply.

You must be registered for see links

I think this one is the best at describing in detail which installations to follow, but the only thing is, its an RP.
This doesn't matter, literally just follow this tutorial for its in depth explanation of how to install IIS and whatnot but dont use the Emu or SWFS he's using (unless u want an RP).
Go to something like habbofiles.com for an emulator and swfs that are non-rp and simply use those, also find a decent copy of RevCMS or w.e cms you want.

 

[HoldUp]

Youtube can always help. It's not brilliant but helps you learn the basics and there's videos out there that shows the harder things.

 

[Kratos]

You must be registered for see links

I think this one is the best at describing in detail which installations to follow, but the only thing is, its an RP.
This doesn't matter, literally just follow this tutorial for its in depth explanation of how to install IIS and whatnot but dont use the Emu or SWFS he's using (unless u want an RP).
Go to something like habbofiles.com for an emulator and swfs that are non-rp and simply use those, also find a decent copy of RevCMS or w.e cms you want.

Thanks again. What is an SWF? and is RevCMS what most people use? You've been really helpful, much appreciated!

 

[Kak]

Thanks again. What is an SWF? and is RevCMS what most people use? You've been really helpful, much appreciated!

tip: don't worry about coding until you're actually able to setup a hotel and know the basics of owning one and fixing problems

 

[LeChris]

I learned coding simply by editing the code already there and watching the effect of doing so. This eventually changed into copying and pasting code, which in turn allowed me to memorize the code itself pushing me to be able to write scratch work

Don’t rush it, it’s taken me years to get where I am, however it’s important to never grow bored or give up. Coding is something you’ll never be a master of as it’s constantly changing, however that hunger for coding is what makes you successful

 

[Mikee]

Thanks again. What is an SWF? and is RevCMS what most people use? You've been really helpful, much appreciated!

Sorry, i wont answer this one. This is your first step in learning how to be a programmer, self reliance and research.

 

[Kak]

Thanks again. What is an SWF? and is RevCMS what most people use? You've been really helpful, much appreciated!

i believe a swf is responsible for the images and text of the client?

 

[Kratos]

I understand that I may be asking too many questions when it's better to go and look for the answer myself.

Thank you everyone for being so helpful w your tips

EDIT - by the way do I need purchase anything like a server or anything even if I want to develop the hotel for myself on localhost?

 

[Khalil]

I learned coding simply by editing the code already there and watching the effect of doing so. This eventually changed into copying and pasting code, which in turn allowed me to memorize the code itself pushing me to be able to write scratch work

Don’t rush it, it’s taken me years to get where I am, however it’s important to never grow bored or give up. Coding is something you’ll never be a master of as it’s constantly changing, however that hunger for coding is what makes you successful

This pretty much sums it up, you learn to program through trial and error, you take existing work and you take it apart, you learn how it functions and why it's laid out the way it is, you modify, add upon it and fail of course, but that's the sweetest part really, but you continue to study it and improve your knowledge, your memory catches up by itself and soon enough you find that you have developed quite the knack for recalling programming know-how. I don't know how Chris is doing these days in respect to programming, but I've seen the guy come from a programming noob to someone that actually knows his stuff, that's proof that he has the motivation, dedication, patience and will to learn, all of which are extremely important to someone that wishes to learn to code.

A few things though I'd like to add to Chris' reply is, when learning to program, I'd recommend you first ask yourself why do you want to learn to write code and what will you use that knowledge for? Are you learning to contribute to the retros community? If so, which section? Emulators or websites? If websites then you need to seek the languages and technologies best suited to create and maintain a website while providing the necessary functionalities a retro's website must offer and the many aspects related to web development, from database management to security best practices, etc; the same applies for emulators. The gist of it is, you search for work that's written in the languages respective to those two types of retro development, you take it and you break it apart, you research how certain functionalities are provided, why they're written the way they are, when you see that you've grasped the basics and learned a thing or two, you try to write something from scratch, it doesn't necessarily have to do with retros as long as it acts as exercise to your knowledge and helps you learn more, you do research and learn more about how you could improve the code, you attempt to implement those improvements, it doesn't matter if you fail numerous times, we all did, but you get up and you keep at it.

As for language recommendations, this may fall outside of the scope of retros, but I'd recommend Ruby, it's a noob friendly language that's also pretty forgiving in respect to how it treats new-comers and the mistakes they commit along the way, be they new to Ruby or to programming itself. Ruby on Rails is also a recommended framework for beginners, it teaches you many aspects of what I've mentioned before in this comment. You may want to check them out, learn the basics and build a strong basis on which to stack your know-how and then move on to retros, study the languages necessary to contribute to retro development and follow the steps I mentioned above. Also, they say that two people can never learn, the shy and the arrogant, don't shy from asking more experienced individuals when you're truly stuck on a problem you can't solve by yourself through research, and don't be too arrogant to think you don't need anyone's help.

Best of luck.