Im not sure what purpose the 'doing laundry' serves other than to get out of harvesting the crops while the tribe starves, especially given that they never change clothes until you physcially drag their lil butts to the sewing hut and do it for them. Its a rather annoying activity when you desperately trying to keep food in the food bin. Hopefully that one will be lost in the next game.
Kids are natural gatherers of 'treasures'. Worms, bugs, shiny things..anything that attracts their interest. So it would make sense that the kids automatically pick up whatever they come across. This could be a good thing, or it could be a bad thing, depending on the 'treasure'. Perhaps some things they find could be cursed with consequences. Perhaps some could be a huge benefit to the tribe, or the child who found it. It could be something that advances the childs skills so when he/she is old enough to work they are already on the way to mastering a hunting skill?
If the builders were able to build small boats/rafts the farmers could venture farther out into the ocean to get bigger/more valuable fish. Again there could be cursed fish with consequences or Special fish with extra benefits. This would keep the builders able to get that master status.
If there was once another tribe on this island, there should be left overs from them. ie, arrow heads, masks, some type of tool that could be researched and remade by our villagers. These items could be valuable to the tribe, or cursed.
I love the weather idea, crops, buildings being damaged or destroyed. Love the idea that villagers need to work harder to store more food or reinforce huts for the 'rainy season'..and having to stay inside during a storm.
Definitely needs to be a school hut for the kids. But they should gain even a lil bit of skill points for each lesson they are taught; teachers teach how to dance, something about food, ect.
Builders should have to cut down the trees to build, not have an endless supply. This too would add to their skill points.
Hunting could be a seperate skill, or an extention of the farmer (food gatherer)
Elders should make the decisions on if a hunting/fishing party should leave the safety of the village. Various outcomes of the expedition can take place. They return with benefits to the tribe, lose a/some of the party, hence your village is now down in population. They might find a lost villager so your village gains in population. They might return with loads of food...or none. (random game chances of any of above happening)
Cursed items could make the one who found it or the entire village minor to majorly sick, giving the doctor chance to raise his/her skill faster. A master doctor (shawman) could require special plants or sea creatures to cure someone. This would require a hunting/fishing party to go on a search, perhaps to the previous side of the island to collect those berries or magic fruit that VV2 doesnt have.
If someone from that side of the island, shows up an event could ask, does this villager learn about fire and return to his/her own side of the island, or does he/she stay and become part of your village. If they just want to learn and go back, our teacher gains major skill points. If they stay, but have none or very little skills, perhaps they have to attend xx many classes with the children first?
With new food to add to the food bin, (ie new fish, or hunting spoils, eggs or birds) the stews could be changed up with more consequences, good or bad.
As the builders skills increase, so should the quality of buildings/boats/rafts they create. A beginner builder would build something that would not withstand a storm, each level of skill builds something that takes a less amount of damage from each storm. A master's creations could be virtually indestructable. Perhaps a beginner builder can only build rafts and only with his skill increasing can he then work to building actual small boats.
Perhaps a beginner hunter can only use a club (tree limb) to hunt with, with increased skill, he is able to use whatever weapon the *researchers/builders are skilled to create?
*This would hinge back to whatever items may have been found to reseach from past tribes and be reconstructed for the existing tribe.
Tropical islands should have weather, hot sun, rainy season, tropical storms, hurricanes. Just PLEASE...NO snow! In all their laundry trips, I cant recall a single parka or mittens in the pile. Besides, Im from Canada, we get more than enough snow without dealing with it in a game too!