Learning at game making in Java

So hey there, Eagle Time! This looks to be a pretty cool place to be creative in. (Although, what's up with all those emotes being green? Green is not a creative color.) To be on the point, I'm learning to make video games in Java, which I've been told is fighting a losing battle but whatever it's all I have to work with right now considering I don't start learning C++ until I think next spring, and I don't have cash to shell out on Game Maker.
So pretty much what I've been doing is iterating and putting together a sort of game engine from scratch, so I can figure out what does on in a game from the ground up. So far, I've figured out how to create a window, display images on it, have the images move around, have keyboard presses do things, how to have the game loop without crashing, how to do collisions, etc. Like, really fundamental stuff.

This here is what I've got so far- a zip fulla files and a jar, which took way too long to make work correctly. Unzip and double-click the jar to play, which is really just a couple a things you can move around with WASD and arrow keys, and a little text box you can toggle and change the depth of.

So hey, here's what I want to do here: I'm trying to learn the ropes of game programming, and at the same time I want to get some practice working with a client- someone without any particular technical chops who wants their game made. So, since I have little to no experience and no idea of how long or how difficult development will be, the current price of commission is... free.
Right now, I'm pretty much only capable of having stuff move around, pop up dialogue boxes, track rudimentary inventory... we're talking like, really simple adventure game kinda thing. If you've got some experiment to try or a linear/branching short story to tell in a stripped-down game form, I'd like to take on that project to help develop my skills, and produce something that'll entertain someone in the process.

Any takers?

Hey! You've come to the right place- i think.

it's probably not the best idea to have your first post include: "hey download and run these executable files" I'm sure they're probably fine, but this is just our first meeting and I'm not sure I'm ready to put your software in my hard disk *wink*.

Maybe you could share some screenshots of what you've made so far? It could help us give suggestions on what kind of game might be suited to that layout.

A few suggestions based off what you've said though:

> Maybe a murder mystery, where one of a group of party guests is the killer and you out them through a series of dialogue options and item retrievals. This could be good for working with branching story patterns.

> While notoriously frustrating, an "ESCAPE THE ROOM" themed game is short, and potentially creative way to work on putting puzzles in your games

> If you prefer a top-down viewpoint, maybe try a basic flight shooter. With a plane that shoots bullets that go TATTATTAT and approaching enemies that ZOOOM and then FWSHBOOM when bullets it them and BWLIP when the power ups hit you. probably a fun way to play with more chaotic collision detection.

Also, I was pretty sure that Game Maker had a free version. Meghs has managed to make some pretty neat things on there. It may be more natural than java.

One piece of advice I can give is don't limit yourself to just the language you're learning in school. The basics of programming languages (especially object oriented ones) tend to remain consistent from language to language, and it isn't too difficult to move from one to the next once you're aware of the minor differences.

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SpoilerOh you got a problem with GREENMOTES HUH? WHAT COLOR DO YOU LIKE HUH? RED? LAME.

Pfft. I tried making games but it's too hard for creative people like me. I'm gonna go paint a picture of a clown.