No CC or Mods showing up in game/No Granite Falls [SOLVED]

Here's an issue I posted on another forum but couldn't get any help for because I'm using a cracked version. Honestly it didn't even occur to me that they'd have a problem with it but whatever:

I have a cracked download of Sims and I wanted to use some custom skin I saw on Tumblr and a lighting mod from Mod the Sims. I know all about how to download and install package files from playing Sims 3 but it doesn't seem to be working for me this time around.
I've extracted all the files into the default Mods folder and I put my skins in a sub folder. When I run the game it does tell me that its recognized the mods, all under the Non-Script category, but when I actually play the game I can tell that the lighting and the skins are still the same. I know that the CC and Mods for Sims 4 overwrite things that are already in the game or whatever but the lighting mod should show up regardless since that has nothing to do with CAS, or so I would think.
I don’t know what the patch level is for my Sims 4 download but I trust the site I got it from completely and assume that its at the most recent patch. Aside from this I've had no other big problems with the game. Can anyone help?

Since then, I came back to this site (which I always forget has it's on forum) and saw the link for the ultimate fix. I've since downloaded it and applied it. I added the Sims 4 folders to my Windows firewall thingy and made sure Origin wasn't running at all in the background* and everything was fine in game. Except for the fact that the mods still aren't showing up. Also I see that I can't go to Granite Falls.
Another post somewhere on here said that you have to go to Travel then Vacation or something, but I don't see anything mentioning vacation anywhere. I did however notice that I now have pools, which I'm assuming came from the patch since that's the only thing I've changed. So does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong?
*I made sure Origin wasn't running by going offline then logging out then exiting from the Show Hidden Icons panel on my task bar. Was that the correct way? I don't know what it means to check the system tray as it was mentioned in the instructions I read.

//EDIT

I didn't mean to post the copied text in gray >.< I hope you guys can read that.

Hi there, @xx_amis, and welcome to the Games4theworld Forum!

Don't worry, I changed the color of the text back to white.

Now, where did you download the game from? Was it from here?
And, just as a test, you could try enabling the Script Mods in the Game Options.

We also have a guide on how to install Mods for The Sims 4, if you want to check it out and be completely sure:
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t18175-how-to-install-custom-content-in-ts4-package-files-script-mods-custom-sims-lots
Also keep in mind that some Mods have special ways of being installed. Each of them usually include an installation guide.

Yes, Pools most likely came from the patch that is included in the Ultimate Fix. And if you checked in the 'Show hidden icons' (this is the System Tray) that Origin is not there, you should be fine. As long as you do it before starting the game at all, of course.

Some users that have problems with traveling have found that the cause is one of the Mods they have installed. Do you have more Mods apart from the ones you mentioned in your post?

SeoY wrote:Hi there, @xx_amis, and welcome to the Games4theworld Forum!

Don't worry, I changed the color of the text back to white.

Now, where did you download the game from? Was it from here?
And, just as a test, you could try enabling the Script Mods in the Game Options.

We also have a guide on how to install Mods for The Sims 4, if you want to check it out and be completely sure:
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t18175-how-to-install-custom-content-in-ts4-package-files-script-mods-custom-sims-lots
Also keep in mind that some Mods have special ways of being installed. Each of them usually include an installation guide.

Yes, Pools most likely came from the patch that is included in the Ultimate Fix. And if you checked in the 'Show hidden icons' (this is the System Tray) that Origin is not there, you should be fine. As long as you do it before starting the game at all, of course.

Some users that have problems with traveling have found that the cause is one of the Mods they have installed. Do you have more Mods apart from the ones you mentioned in your post?

Thank you! I downloaded the game from here and yeah, I had Script Mods enabled before I found anything to download. All of the mods I have are .package files so I unzipped them before putting them in the Mods folder. And I also did the System Tray thing before starting the game. I don't have any other mods or CC aside from the 3 I mentioned above 

//EDIT


Solution found! The problem was with the lighting mod I downloaded  I couldn't give up on this because I spend basically my whole life on Tumblr and keep seeing all the wonderful things my Sims could be having, so I took a chance and downloaded some hair. Something told me to delete the mods I already had so I started with the lighting mod since it was the only one without a sub folder. And voila, the hair I got showed up in game along with the skin I got before!
Also, there was this grand message when I first ran the game saying that I now have Outdoor and Holiday stuff! As well as prima computer, whatever that means. And a little more clicking around showed me that I can now see Granite Falls in the Map view ^^ Since this was all successful I went and found another lighting mod to see if there was something about them in general that were messing me up.
Fortunately it was just the first one that was bad for me. I downloaded it from Mod the Sims and it's called "Improved Lighting Mod (V5 Dec16 patch)" by Simrod101. It has two download links because it's been updated since it was first made I guess and I downloaded the newest one. That may have been where the problem was but I'm not sure.
Thanks for your help!

xx_amis wrote:Thank you! I downloaded the game from here and yeah, I had Script Mods enabled before I found anything to download. All of the mods I have are .package files so I unzipped them before putting them in the Mods folder. And I also did the System Tray thing before starting the game. I don't have any other mods or CC aside from the 3 I mentioned above 

//EDIT

Solution found! The problem was with the lighting mod I downloaded  I couldn't give up on this because I spend basically my whole life on Tumblr and keep seeing all the wonderful things my Sims could be having, so I took a chance and downloaded some hair. Something told me to delete the mods I already had so I started with the lighting mod since it was the only one without a sub folder. And voila, the hair I got showed up in game along with the skin I got before!
Also, there was this grand message when I first ran the game saying that I now have Outdoor and Holiday stuff! As well as prima computer, whatever that means. And a little more clicking around showed me that I can now see Granite Falls in the Map view ^^ Since this was all successful I went and found another lighting mod to see if there was something about them in general that were messing me up.
Fortunately it was just the first one that was bad for me. I downloaded it from Mod the Sims and it's called "Improved Lighting Mod (V5 Dec16 patch)" by Simrod101. It has two download links because it's been updated since it was first made I guess and I downloaded the newest one. That may have been where the problem was but I'm not sure.
Thanks for your help!

Glad to hear that you were able to solve it! You're very welcome.

Problem solved, topic closed. If you ever have any more questions or any problems, don't doubt to open a new one. Have fun!