Making an RPG, need to know the most efficient way to Save/Load

Question

Okay well. I'm in a programming class at the moment, and I've been trying to make an RPG because that's what I've wanted to do since I got in the class.
Some people have been trying it out a bit, though it's still very...young, I suppose. Those people testing said, "Man, I wish I could save my game or something". And I said, "Yea, I know, I've been thinking about it". So at this point I'm thinking that I should find out how to do it and do it already.
So what I'm trying to say is, I would really appreciate it if someone would be able to help me find the best way to implement saving and loading within my game. It's all text-based, and probably going to stay like that for a while.
I'm going to post the code so I can hear other suggestions relating to how I could make my code better, any help will be seriously appreciated.
// Main Class
// I'll put this in in a separate post, I can't fit all the code in one ^_^
// Character Class
// I'll post this in the next post as well -_-
// Player Class
public class Player extends Character implements Cloneable
    // MEMBER DATA
    private String name = "";
    private int health = 100;
    private int maxHealth = 100;
    private int attack = 2;
    private int defense = 0;
    private int speed = 0;
    private Equipment Weapon;
    // CONSTRUCTORS
    public Player()
    public Player(String n, int h, int mH, int a, int d, int s)
        name = n;
        health = h;
        maxHealth = mH;
        attack = a;
        defense = d;
        speed = s;
    public Player(String n, int h, int mH, int a, int d, int s, Equipment w)
        this(n,h,mH,a,d,s);
        Weapon = w;
    // ACCESSOR METHODS
    public int getHealth()
        return health;
    public int getAttack()
        return attack;
    public int getDefense()
        return defense;
    public int getSpeed()
        return speed;
    public Equipment getWeapon()
        return Weapon;
    // MUTATOR METHODS
    public void setWeapon(Equipment wep)
        Weapon = wep;
    // OVERRIDE METHODS
    public String toString()
        String out = "";
        out += "Name " + name;
        out += "\n Health " + health + "/" + maxHealth;
        out += "\n Attack " + attack;
        out += "\n Defense " + defense;
        out += "\n Speed " + speed;
        out += "\n Weapon Equipped: " + Weapon;
        out += "\n ";
        return out;
    public boolean equals()
        boolean outcome = false;
        if (attack == attack && defense == defense && speed == speed && health == health && Weapon == Weapon && name == name)
         {outcome = true;}
         return outcome;
    // OTHER METHODS
    // IMPLEMENTED INTERFACES
    public Object clone()
        return new Player(name,health,maxHealth,attack,defense,speed,Weapon);
// Enemy Class
public class Enemy extends Character implements Cloneable
    // MEMBER DATA
    private String name = "";
    private int level = 1;
    private int health = 100;
    private int maxHealth = 100;
    private int attack = 2;
    private int defense = 0;
    private int speed = 0;
    private int exp = 0;
    // CONSTRUCTORS
    public Enemy()   // washed up rapper group.
    public Enemy(String n, int l,int h, int mH, int a, int d, int s, int e)
        name = n;
        level = l;
        health = h;
        maxHealth = mH;
        attack = a;
        defense = d;
        speed = s;
        exp = e;
    // ACCESSOR METHODS
    //MUTATOR METHODS
    // OVERRIDE METHODS
    public String toString()
        String output = "";
        output += name;
        output += "\n Health: " + health + "/" + maxHealth;
        output += "\n Attack Stat: " + attack;
        output += "\n Defense Stat: " + defense;
        output += "\n Speed Stat: " + speed;
        output += "\n ";
        return output;
    public boolean equals()
        boolean outcome = false;
        if (attack == attack && defense == defense && speed == speed && health == health && name == name)
         {outcome = true;}
         return outcome;
    // OTHER METHODS
    // IMPLEMENTED INTERFACES
    public Object clone()
        return new Enemy(name,level,health,maxHealth,attack,defense,speed,exp);
//Equipment Class
public class Equipment
    // MEMBER DATA
    private String name = "None";
    private int atk = 0;
    private int def = 0;
    private int spd = 0;
    //CONSTRUCTORS
    public Equipment(String n, int a, int d, int s)
        name = n;
        atk = a;
        def = d;
        spd = s;
    // ACCESS MODIFIERS
    public String getName()
        return name;
    public int getAtk()
        return atk;
    public int getDef()
        return def;
    public int getSpd()
        return spd;
    // MUTATOR METHODS
    public void setName(String nam)
        name = nam;
    public void setAtk(int a)
        atk = a;
    public void setDef(int d)
        def = d;
    public void setSpd(int s)
        spd = s;
    // OVERRIDE METHODS
    public String toString()
        String output = "";
        output += "\n";
        output += "\n" + name;
        output += "\n Weapon Attack: " + atk;
        output += "\n Weapon Defense: " + def;
        output += "\n Weapon Speed: " + spd;
        return output;
    public boolean equals(Object o)
        Equipment rS = (Equipment)o;
        return (atk == rS.atk && def == rS.def && spd == rS.spd && name == rS.name);
    // IMPLEMENTED INTERFACES
    public Object clone()
        return new Equipment(name,atk,def,spd);
// Item Class
public class Item
    private String name;
    private String descrip;
    private int price;
    private boolean usable;
    public Item()
    public Item(String nam, String des, int prc, boolean usa)
        name = nam;
        descrip = des;
        price = prc;
        usable = usa;
// Inventory Class
public class Inventory
    public Item item;
    public int amount;
    public Inventory()
    public Inventory(Item itm, int amt)
        item = itm;
        amount = amt;
}I also have an IO class to make input to the console less strenuous, I'll post that if it's really needed.
Many thanks! :D

Answer 1

Ok, My Main class is too long to fit on one post. I will send everyone that posts here with help for the Save/Load portion of this topic the Main Class, and I will just put the Character class by itself.
// Character Class
import java.util.Random;
public class Character
    // Member Data
    private String name = "";
    private int level = 1;
    private int health = 20;
    private int maxHealth = 20;
    private int attack = 2;
    private int defense = 0;
    private int speed = 0;
    private int exp = 0;
    private int toNextLevel = 0;
    private Random rnd = new Random();
    // CONSTRUCTOR
    public Character()
    public Character(String n, int l, int tNL, int h, int mH, int a, int d, int s, int e)
        name = n;
        level = l;
        toNextLevel = tNL;
        health = h;
        maxHealth = mH;
        attack = a;
        defense = d;
        speed = s;
        exp = e;
    // Accessor Methods
    public String getName() //Returns Name
        return name;
    public int getLevel() //Returns Level
        return level;
    public int getHealth() //Returns Health
        return health;
    public int getMaxHealth() //Returns maxHealth
        return maxHealth;
    public int getAttack() //Returns Attack
        return attack;
    public int getDefense() //Returns Defense
        return defense;
    public int getSpeed() //Returns Speed
        return speed;
    public int getExp() //Returns Exp
        return exp;
    public int getNextLevel()
        return toNextLevel = (health + level + attack + defense + speed); //Used to attain the Player's new next level by summing stats
    public String getStats() //Used to show the Player's stats when the menu option "Stats" is chosen
        String sts = "";
        sts += "Name: " + name + "\n";
        sts += "Level: " + level + "\n";
        sts += "Health: " + health + "/" + maxHealth + "\n";
        sts += "Attack: " + attack + "\n";
        sts += "Defense: " + defense + "\n";
        sts += "Speed: " + speed + "\n";
        sts += "Exp: " + exp + "\n";
        sts += "To Next Level: " + toNextLevel + "\n";
        return sts;
    // Mutator Methods
    public void setName(String nam) //Sets Name
        name = nam;
    public void setLevel(int lvl) //Sets Level
        level = lvl;
    public void setHealth(int hp) //Sets Health
        health = hp;
    public void setMaxHealth(int mhp)
        maxHealth = mhp;
    public void setAttack(int atk) //Sets Attack
        attack = atk;
    public void setDefense(int def) //Sets Defense
        defense = def;
    public void setSpeed(int spd) //Sets Speed
        speed = spd;
    public void setStats() //Used to set the Player's stats after a level up
        if (health >0)
          health = maxHealth;
          maxHealth += rnd.nextInt(4) + 2;
          attack += rnd.nextInt(4) + 2;
          defense += rnd.nextInt(4) + 2;
          speed += rnd.nextInt(4) + 2;
          toNextLevel = (this.initNLevel());
    public int initNLevel() //Decides the player's new toNextLevel based on the Player's new leveled up stats
        int nL = (maxHealth + level + attack + defense + speed);
        return toNextLevel = nL;
    public int setNextLevel(int next) //Used to get the Player's next toNextLevel amount
        return toNextLevel = next;
    public void levelUp() //Method used to level up the Player
        level++;
    public int toNext(int exp) //Sets the exp needed to level up
        return toNextLevel - exp;
    public void beginStat(String n, int l,int h, int mH, int a, int d, int s, int e)
        name = n;
        level = l;
        health = h;
        maxHealth = mH;
        attack = a;
        defense = d;
        speed = s;
        exp = e;
    // OVERRIDING METHODS
    public String toString()
        String out = "";
        out += "Name " + name;
        out += "\n Health " + health + "/" + maxHealth;
        out += "\n Attack " + attack;
        out += "\n Defense " + defense;
        out += "\n Speed " + speed;
        out += "\n Exp " + exp;
        return out;
    // FIGHT METHODS
    public void hit(Character e,int d) //The method used to attack another Character object (Player or Enemy)
        int dmg = d;
        e.health -= (dmg > e.defense) ? (dmg - e.defense) : 0;
        /**int dmg = this.getAttack();
        *this.setAttack(dmg);
        e.health -= (dmg > e.defense) ? (dmg - e.defense) : 0;*/
    public void heal() //The method used to heal during battle
        double healBy = maxHealth * .50;
        if ( (healBy + health) > maxHealth)
            health += (maxHealth - health);
        else
            health += healBy;
    // OTHER METHODS
    public void defend1() //Battle command to double defense, and return defense to normal after the turn is over
        defense *= 2;
    public void defend2()
        defense /= 2;
    public void gainExp(int e) //Method to give the Player exp after defeating an enemy
        exp += e;
    public void setEXp() //Sets the enemy's exp
        int xp = (maxHealth + level + attack + defense + speed);
        exp = xp;
    public void initEStat() //Sets the Enemies Stats w/ random numbers varying on the enemy's level
        health = rnd.nextInt((level*15)) + (level*15) -4;
        maxHealth = health;
        attack = rnd.nextInt((level*5)) + (level*5) -4;
        defense = rnd.nextInt((level*5)) + (level*5) -4;
        speed = rnd.nextInt((level*5)) + (level*5) -4;
        toNextLevel = (this.initNLevel());
    // IMPLEMENTED INTERFACES
    public Object clone()
        return new Character(name, level, toNextLevel, health, maxHealth, attack, defense, speed, exp);
}