Meant to make this a while back, but I only just remembered now when I realized that I can't make snowmen in my town to cover it in snow...

During Halloween, Andrew added weather for a creepier mood (rain, thunder) and lots of people really liked it. I believe he said anyone could make a petition to bring weather into the game, so I am going to. :b

I've got no idea what effects would and wouldn't work on the server, or if it's still possible to add with 1.0.0, but I won't know until I make this thread... And, considering how creative developers are getting, there may be customizable weather plugins.

Also: I realize the lag issue with slower computers. Assuming we got enough positive votes and if Andrew wanted to add it, we can always do a trial period to see how many people actually have issues. It doesn't rain or snow all of the time, so it would only be a couple minutes every once in a while of lag - people can always go to an area where there is weather, too.



Pros: Snow forms back on snow biomes, rain waters crops, nice visual and audible effect, while adding more realism/depth/what-have-you to the game.

Ice can reform, too, which can be a pro for some people (only if you can still use enchantments to get ice blocks.)

Mobs can be a pro, too; there's a good chunk of people who want more nighttime, so thunderstorms being dark enough to spawn mobs could be an alternative. It wouldn't be impossible to see, and you get mobs. The lightning and pigmen are a good challenge, too, for those who cannot get in the Nether. Gives a little more chance to gather materials to sell, too.

MC Wiki also says Notch had plans to make rain re-grow flowers. If this ever comes into the game, I'm sure people would enjoy it for making their landscape pretty again (and keeping the world from being very bare).

Cons: Puts out fires, getting struck by lightning, possible mobs during thunderstorms, and lag for slower computers.

Charged creepers are no issue as we have no creepers. Lightning causing fire or explosive holes is impossible with the anti-grief protection we have.

 

Look at what I said before:

We have protection from all explosions and fires. There would be absolutely no issues with things blowing up. And: Even if fire isn't prevented from being placed by lightning, it will NOT spread. At all. There's no issue with weather damage. :b

As for people not liking rain - That is the point of this thread. Part of it. And gman is right; OptiFine can turn off rain for those who do not want it. I suggest players use OptiFine as is, anyway. It reduces lag for most people and improves performance. [:

 

Guys, I do know ice already is forming (it is bothering me in my town :b), I was just posting facts from the MC Wiki.

Using snowgolems to cover an area is in spawn (or anyone's town, for that matter) is kind of... grief. Since you couldn't even make snowgolems in towns, you would have to push them around. :/ Not sure if that is why Andrew disabled snowgolems or not, but I can see him not wanting spawn covered in snow any time it snows.. And Kuke is right; there's a region flag that can stop snowfall.

I find rain relaxing when it is on a quiet volume. It isn't so obnoxious either when you have it mostly hidden or a decent texture for it. D: Personal opinion, but I guess my opinion is entirely different than most people on the rain... Which is odd, because I'm really sensitive to sounds. xD

Being able to buy weather for towns is a solution I'd be happy with. I just badly want weather - My town is supposed to have snow. I see no reason to even have snow biomes if I cannot have snow, even just by snowgolems. Might as well take out snow biomes if I can't have snow fall on my buildings or placing snowgolems on top of them. :b

Does it? I never remember seeing on my own server or singleplayer falling snow destroy those things.. o.o I can understand a snowgolem walking over it and destroying it, but never natural weather.