Actually they do look different. The ones on the left show the roof texture where the ones on the right don't show the roof texture but show snow texture. There is a difference. The difference is the left set shows/represents a light snowfall or melt off later in the season and the right set shows a much heavier snow cover either after a heavy snow or during the middle of the season. The circle on each to me shows the same assumption even though the left circle is ice, it could easily be dirt with a light snow covering using sheet effects showing either a light snow or melt off starting in high traffic areas, where the right is more packed snow from people walking over it in a high traffic area. Using both styles of houses will give people more choices. If you were working on this set in the summer instead of now, I most likely would not have brought up the two sets. Right now the right set is representative of where I live and and the left set was represented back in October or again in March or April.

Yes to most people there is only slight difference between the two styles of houses but from someone that lives in the stuff for at least half the year there is big difference between the two styles. I hope you do choose to keep both but understand if you choose to only include the left set when released.

By the way Sue thank you for listening to us and giving us the ability to offer input on your winter style.

They keep snow from sliding off tin roofs. They are used so that when the roof is ready to shed the snow all the snow doesn’t fall off the roof at one time. They are normally only used on tin roofs. Any roof with a rough surface doesn’t need them. Do not think you need to add them to your drawings.

I like it also. It gives the map a sense of depth. One thing you might consider is having two sets of symbols. The ones you used for the test image look great and work well with it but I know you want to show the texture in the symbols but please consider a textured and untextured set of symbols