Neighborhood has no snow

[cornflakesinc]

Alright so I have these games:
The Sims 2
University
Nightlife
Open For Business
Pets
Seasons
Family Fun Stuff
Glamour Life Stuff
Christmas Party Pack

I don't know what's wrong with my game, but when I go the new neighborhood (it's winter there), there is NO SNOW! In addition to that problem, when in the downtown area, the night toggle doesn't work - the streets look dark but not the grass!

What could be wrong with my game/s? This problem is annoying because I would really like to see the neighborhoods during wintertime!

*UPDATE MARCH 20TH*
I updated my video/graphics card (Intel series) and the graphics booster that I downloaded.
Now, everything in the game looks the same. The snow does not appear, and the night ground doesn't appear. Now I'm sure it's not a problem with my graphics card, more like with a game of mine. I've had a problem with Body Shop before but nothing that couldn't be fixed.
Maybe a hack is conflicting with my game? If you have any ideas on what the problem might be please post! Thank you.

[Cheeseisgood]

There is not always snow in winter. The neighborhood will be in the same season and weather as the house you just came from playing, so if that house had snow, so will the neighborhood. Winter does not always bring snow, jsut as it does not constantly rain throughout spring.

[nikisazombie]

Yup. I had a winter where it only barely snowed, and then the next day was gone. (It reminded me too much of Mississippi! *wahhhh*)

[ambers_journey]

Does your concrete terrain show in the neighborhood view? I seem to be the only one who's missing the concrete terrain. I don't have snow on the neighborhood terrain and the problems seem related. If you use the grass or concrete terrains under neighborhood objects, they look snowy.

[cornflakesinc]

Yes, the concrete terrain appears, but not the default grass. The trees and other neighborhood objects appear snowy but not the actual neighborhood. It has nothing to do with there being no snow; it snows when I'm on lots but not in the neighborhood.

[cornflakesinc]

...I still have the problem. Maybe I'll try reinstalling the E.P. Does anyone have a guide from MTS2 or something that shows how to back-up all of your saved files/families/custom content? I think I remember something like that.. I used it once.

[MarkySharky6]

It may be your graphics card. Things apparently turn black if you have too low of a graphics card. It may also be the fact that you downloaded a neighborhood terrain that replaced the old one, but I'm not sure...

ambers_journey, before I updated my graphics card, my concrete and dirt terrain never showed in neighborhood view. Why do the simple things revolve around the graphics card? I have no clue!

[APaiger]

Does it snow in the neighborhood screen? I know Riverblossom Hills has a snowy terrain but I wasn't aware of weather happening on the neighborhood screen since each family can be in a different season. And I know I would have seen weather on the neighborhood screen..I played for 8 hours yesterday and was in and out of the neighborhood screen, let it idle there, etc. I was testing the new computer I got and it's Sims performance..but I didn't see any weather on the neighborhood screen (and I have a high end video card). But to back up your files you can look at this. http://www.modthesims2.com/article.php?t=86959 I remember another one I think that explained it step by step but basically you just right click on the folder you want to back up, select copy, and then paste it to your desktop, or, like I do, a seperate folder for backups.

Edit: Found the guide I was thinking of. http://www.modthesims2.com/article.php?t=138900

[cornflakesinc]

I have a high enough video card! Sure, it's not really new, but it works for all of my other games. I don't know if there is something wrong with my card (Intel's the brand name, I forget the rest of the title) or if something is wrong with my game! I deleted all of my hacks after I installed Seasons. I'll check with them again, see if I have any more, and delete them. Then I'll check the neighborhood screen and see if it's better. If not, then I'll reinstall the game.. if not, I'll just have to live with it, or get a different video card.

APaiger-It does not snow in the neighborhood screen. It snows when you're playing a family's lot, however, at least.
MarkySharky6-Yes, dirt terrain wouldn't work for me (UNI). Concrete does, however...I think. I haven't visited my Downtown area since I installed Seasons. I've been playing with the regular suburban area.. I'll check today and let you know.

[cornflakesinc]

Well, the weather effects are not really my problem. The neighborhood objects (such as trees, farmland, etc.) work for me, i.e. the trees are orange during fall, the farmland looks snowy during winter. It's the ground that's the problem. The ground that is supposed to look like snow doesn't.

And the other problem-which is basically the same thing is that if you toggle day/night it works for the roads.. but nothing else. It's like, the roads look dark but the ground still remains light, like it's daytime.

I don't have a public account for this, so I'm putting the pictures here. Might take a little bit to load. Just a warning for those of you with slow Internet.
Pictures:
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/CornflakesInc/nosnow_01.png

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/CornflakesInc/nosnow_02.png

[MarkySharky6]

Its probably your GRAPHICS CARD (sorry, I don't want you to mix it up with video card). Your water's not reflective, thats how I can tell. Like I said, before I updated my graphics card, concrete and dirt terrain never showed in neighborhood view. That probably is the same thing with snow. Now I know your dirt and concrete show, but your snow isn't. Its a similar problem. So updating your graphics card may be the only solution, but I'm not 100% sure. It seems like it, though. BUT, I would still try everything I can before considering a graphics card.

[Canoodle]

Graphics card = video card. Same thing, different name. Actually, Cornflakes doesn't have a card..they have an integrated chipset. I have a computer with the same chipset and don't have those graphical problems. Corn could try downloading the Intel graphics accelerator to see if it helps.

[cornflakesinc]

Thank you very much, canoodle! I'll try that. :)

[Proxian_girl]

Wait, it's not supposed to look like that? :O Well, I'll be darned...

[cornflakesinc]

I'm reinstalling my game, backing up files.

Hopefully it will work!

[equustel]

I have the same "problems" (no snow in neighbourhood, day/night toggle working only on the roads) as well - but it's not bothering me so much. (Though when I first loaded Riverblossom Hills, the neighbourhood was covered in snow.)

All the other weather changes do show.

My card is an Mobile Intel 945GM Express Family Chipset, and the chip type is the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, with all the latest drivers installed.

[SheElf]

Please don't kill me if this question sounds weird. English is not my first language and now I'm confused. What is the diference between graphics card and video card??? I thought they were the same thing....

[Proxian_girl]

Graphics card = video card. Same thing, different name.
Does that answer your question?

[cornflakesinc]

I have the same card! Okay, so I guess it IS the problem I thought it was before. I reinstalled it, same problem. Ah well, it's fine. I'll get another video card in 6 months maybe. :) Thanks everyone for your help!