So there was a project I was working on all through summer. This past fall I had slacked off a little bit and not a whole lot got done, but just as I was getting ready to dive back into it, my computer crashed. 
I'm starting over, and I'm going to make it even better than before.
It's not the traditional rpg that is expected to be made with RPG Maker. In fact, it's more of a simulation. Combine Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing and the Sims and you've got the game I am working on. Basically, you just go about your life living it however you want. Unlike the three games I compared it to, mine will revolve around exploring your world. It's not a fantasy world, although some interesting things will occur (like a sudden and brief encounter with an alien in the middle of the forest at 1 o'clock in the morning). You have the option of settling down in the nearby town, working a steady job and raising a family, or you can go the more adventurous route and become a wanderer, living off the land and being your own boss.
I don't want to give away too much information about it, but below I've listed some of the things that will be included in my game. I've already tested each of them, and I can get them to work just fine, it's just a matter of putting it all together in a single project and polishing it off.
Dynamic Calendar/Time System (with what I call a 'time-compliant town')
Weather & Weather Forecasting System
Fishing/Hunting
Holidays/Town Events
Custom Character Creation
House Building (with the option of arranging your furniture inside your house)
That's just a few of the major ones. I'm making this game solely for myself and my wife to play, so I'm not designing it to be appealing to everybody. I'm making it just how I like games such as this. But, if anybody else has an interest in these 'life simulation'-type games and would like to play mine whenever I finish it (a loooooooong time from now) and if you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know!
UPDATE: My custom menu is finally coming around. There's a couple menus left to wrestle with, and since I'm not well-versed in RGSS it could take a while. The main menu, the inventory and equip menus are done. The only thing remaining on the main menu is creating a better map (the one shown in the screenshot below is just a place-holder). The next step is creating the "status" menu, which will have a command list, each command showing different information in different windows ("Financial", "People", "Fishing", "Hunting", and "Games").
"Financial" will show such details as current cash on-hand, money in savings, total money accumulated throughout the game, property value (how much your home and property is worth), personal worth (the sum of everything you own of any value), pets, marital status, and spouse.
"People" is going to display your relationships with other characters in the game (hello Harvest Moon?) There will be a simple list showing the character names above a meter for that character, illustrating your level of friendship with them, alongside a small icon better indicating your exact relationship status (friend, romantic interest, lover, spouse, enemy/ex-spouse, moved away).
"Fishing" & "Hunting" will show stats regarding each sport. Such stats will include: lines cast, fish caught, fishing records for about a dozen types of fish, shots fired, shooting accuracy, kills, and records for about 6 big game animals that you can hunt.
Finally, "Games" will show your stats for the casino and lottery games. (Yes, there will be slot machines and a few card games in my game). This menu will display your wins and losses for each game, as well as the total amount of money you've won from gambling. Basically, you can look at this screen and tell right away if you've just been pissing all your money away.
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I've finally got some time this weekend to finish my restaurant minigame. Good times. 
like realy profesional. Hey do you think you could show me how to make a custom menu... I still dont have a clue, I tried the common events method but it was a drag to set up and looked lousy 
. Anyway good luck with your game. Im starting mine of aswell, the story's still comming along, Do you have any advise...Im stumped. I dont want to make a clechay rpg and want to make something that will leave a good after taste after have playing it... you know something memerable like when I finished chrono's trigger and was both realy happpy but sad cause I finished my favourite rpg. I guess making a good game takes patience and determination.
The weather system and fishing minigame sound like winners to me! I've always enjoyed those kinds of things. If you kind find a decent calendar/weather script I'd love to hear about it... and copy it
Best of luck with it all!
<!--fonto:Franklin Gothic Medium--><span style="font-family:Franklin Gothic Medium"><!--/fonto--> <!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc-->Franklin, I declare these people to be without merit and of dubious nature of the worst degree.
What year did you say