Are split level stairs possible for the future?

BoredinTX

So one thing I really really want in the game is different shapes in stairs. I understand that due to the lack terrain tools this is impossible, but I was wondering if in the future it would be possible in the same way the L-shaped stairs from the Sims 3 Store worked?

Reference: http://store.thesims3.com/productList.html?scategoryId=11572

Obviously, there would need to be a mesh (or hopefully a few styles: L-shaped, U-shaped, Y-shaped, spirals), then some programming to go upstairs and back, and an animation. Then, there would need to be three heights for each floor height.
I wouldn't mind some custom content animation-less stairs as long as going from floor to floor works. While I wouldn't mind trying my hand at meshes, I would have absolutely zero ideas to make them work. Maybe, a teleportation mod fixated to two spots. CC creator TwistedMexi is working on something for buyable elevators, so maybe something like that...

*I know how people make them now but the idea of having to go up and over foundation just to use them bothers me.
Either way, EA made or not I would be super happy. Does anyone have any ideas?

plopppo2

I thought there was already CC stairs like this though.

EDIT:
I am possibly confusing this with an update for Software Inc that has new stairs.

I just know I was looking at stairs the other day.

JumpingTrains

Considering this game's engine is so limited it can't even properly handle auto saving, a basic feature that even games in 2002 had, eventually causing them to remove it instead of trying to fix it, then I doubt it could handle these stairs.

It would be really awesome to have them though.

BoredinTX

JumpingTrains wrote: »

Considering this game's engine is so limited it can't even properly handle auto saving, a basic feature that even games in 2002 had, eventually causing them to remove it instead of trying to fix it, then I doubt it could handle these stairs.

It would be really awesome to have them though.

I'm trying not to be pessimistic. But maybe, there could be a chance a CC creator makes one.

MrMonty96

JumpingTrains wrote: »

Considering this game's engine is so limited it can't even properly handle auto saving, a basic feature that even games in 2002 had, eventually causing them to remove it instead of trying to fix it, then I doubt it could handle these stairs.

It would be really awesome to have them though.

I'm pretty sure the game's engine doesn't affect the ability to add more stair types. As a cc creator, the stairs are literally just made from 3 different meshes for each wall height and the animation spots. And as for the animations it's just a combination of walking and original stair animations.

5782341b77vl

As it stands right now, the game's build mode doesn't delete just one floor tile. Without the "ConstrainFloorElevation" cheat (like we had in Sims3), there's no way to do a true Split-level. Your bottom floor ALWAYS has to be on ground level and has to be an open room - no doors or arches (foundation WILL automatically appear under them)! Trust me - I tried.



Looks fine, until I TRIED installing the doors to the bathroom and bedrooms

I wanted to start simple (2bed/1bath mobile home) before trying something more complex (like a huge mansion). I ended up aggravated and scrapping the Split-level and turned it into a Flat-floored version.





Oh well. It works, I guess.

Veaum

I hope at least L shaped stairs are released as CC.

BoredinTX

5782341b77vl wrote: »

As it stands right now, the game's build mode doesn't delete just one floor tile. Without the "ConstrainFloorElevation" cheat (like we had in Sims3), there's no way to do a true Split-level. Your bottom floor ALWAYS has to be on ground level and has to be an open room - no doors or arches (foundation WILL automatically appear under them)! Trust me - I tried.



Looks fine, until I TRIED installing the doors to the bathroom and bedrooms

I wanted to start simple (2bed/1bath mobile home) before trying something more complex (like a huge mansion). I ended up aggravated and scrapping the Split-level and turned it into a Flat-floored version.





Oh well. It works, I guess.

Well, I imagine that it would need to be part of the mesh for the area needs to be a hole in the floor (say three tiles each way, for L-shaped stairs on a short wall, thus a 3x3 tile hole in the top floor). Even an invisible tile mesh could be used for something like this.

I really wish I could find a CC creator to work on this for me. I'm pretty determined and know I'd be able to make a mesh for the stairs. Hmm... I'm going to start on it and maybe I'll find someone to help eventually.

PugLove888

5782341b77vl wrote: »

As it stands right now, the game's build mode doesn't delete just one floor tile. Without the "ConstrainFloorElevation" cheat (like we had in Sims3), there's no way to do a true Split-level. Your bottom floor ALWAYS has to be on ground level and has to be an open room - no doors or arches (foundation WILL automatically appear under them)! Trust me - I tried.



Looks fine, until I TRIED installing the doors to the bathroom and bedrooms

I wanted to start simple (2bed/1bath mobile home) before trying something more complex (like a huge mansion). I ended up aggravated and scrapping the Split-level and turned it into a Flat-floored version.





Oh well. It works, I guess.

For all of you guys who use CC, I hope there are all the stair types that you want, or at least more than the game already has. But I'm still hoping for EA to make all these stair types since there are many people who don't use CC.

@5782341b77vl , Thanks for the pictures of what you were trying to do! I also tried to make a split level house. It was the house of one of my childhood friends that I just loved and had 3 different levels with 2 levels on the South side of the house and one on the North side, so that the lowest level and the topmost level were on top of each other. Part of the 2nd level was open to the lowest level with a balcony. It was such a cool house!

Cinebar

You can sort of fake a split level by setting each upper room a little farther out on the grid (above) and then stairs leading up to them. But of course those stairs are still just as steep as the next floor level (no cutting away of lower floors that way). You need a larger lot so each level sits out (above) a little farther than the one before it. But it can give some semblance of split levels without having to delete bottom floors.

marcel21

Some more options of everything we don't have

Terrine tool
Starcases
Roofs
More wall styles
Attic and basement content

Building is in need of more tools

I felt the content in the sims 3 store was better than a lot of stuff in this game.

The premium content is great with 4 though

More options please

jackjack_k

@JumpingTrains wrote: »

Considering this game's engine is so limited it can't even properly handle auto saving, a basic feature that even games in 2002 had, eventually causing them to remove it instead of trying to fix it, then I doubt it could handle these stairs.

It would be really awesome to have them though.

You always seem to post things like this, when they aren't true and don't make sense.

Anyway, they originally announced autosave as a trial when the game came out. The feature worked fine as Simmers like myself and xUrbanSims used it successfully all the time. Problem is people didn't know how to use it, and when they wanted to quit the game without saving, they would sometimes load back in from the auto save, which would load the game after they didn't want to save.

In the end though, autosave doesn't make sense in a game like The Sims for the most part. While it sounds good on paper, things will happen in-game that players may want to reverse, so quitting without saving is common. When you end up having all these auto save files you literally have different version of the same reality in-game and it's confusing.

As for stairs, it's possible to have L shaped stairs already. The tech is there, EA just need to bother to make it.

PugLove888

Cinebar wrote: »

You can sort of fake a split level by setting each upper room a little farther out on the grid (above) and then stairs leading up to them. But of course those stairs are still just as steep as the next floor level (no cutting away of lower floors that way). You need a larger lot so each level sits out (above) a little farther than the one before it. But it can give some semblance of split levels without having to delete bottom floors.

@Cinebar thanks for your information! I'm sure some of us will give it a try!

Cinebar

PugLove888 wrote: »

Cinebar wrote: »

You can sort of fake a split level by setting each upper room a little farther out on the grid (above) and then stairs leading up to them. But of course those stairs are still just as steep as the next floor level (no cutting away of lower floors that way). You need a larger lot so each level sits out (above) a little farther than the one before it. But it can give some semblance of split levels without having to delete bottom floors.

@Cinebar thanks for your information! I'm sure some of us will give it a try!

You are welcome, I see I wrote sits instead of sets but too lazy to edit my original post.

SimmerNickYT

I think it is possible. Stairs in TS4 already have the different heights for the steps, you know what I mean? They would only have to make the surface of the middle step bigger. Make the Sims make a turn on this middle step and make the stairs compatible with different wall heights. I could see a problem with spirals stairs though, since those are very different then U-shaped and L-shaped stairs. And I don't think that spiral stairs are practical with the different wall heights, since they would have to shift the tile where the stairs end if you change the wall height. But I don't see any of that being a problem with the L-shaped and U-shaped stairs, so why don't they add those? I am really starting to lose hope though. Making different stair shaped with the foundations looks horrible and is very impractical, so I wouldn't consider that a solution.

marcel21

Ladders.
Spiral staircases.
Grand starcases in mansion&garden.
I shaped.
Outside basement stairs with the double doors you pull open.

Also all those decorative items in a lot of the store worlds like spooky hollow/Dragon valley were lovely to add to the exterior.

Loanet

marcel21 wrote: »

Ladders.
Spiral staircases.
Grand starcases in mansion&garden.
I shaped.
Outside basement stairs with the double doors you pull open.

Also all those decorative items in a lot of the store worlds like spooky hollow/Dragon valley were lovely to add to the exterior.

Totally want that last one. It'd look great in my Camp Blood setup. And then you don't have stair entrances in the middle of the floor.

marcel21

Loanet wrote: »

marcel21 wrote: »

Ladders.
Spiral staircases.
Grand starcases in mansion&garden.
I shaped.
Outside basement stairs with the double doors you pull open.

Also all those decorative items in a lot of the store worlds like spooky hollow/Dragon valley were lovely to add to the exterior.

Totally want that last one. It'd look great in my Camp Blood setup. And then you don't have stair entrances in the middle of the floor.

Which one do you mean?

Yeah camp blood. Is that from Friday the 13th?

BoredinTX

marcel21 wrote: »

Ladders.
Spiral staircases.
Grand starcases in mansion&garden.
I shaped.
Outside basement stairs with the double doors you pull open.

Also all those decorative items in a lot of the store worlds like spooky hollow/Dragon valley were lovely to add to the exterior.

What do you mean about that last one? Like do you know a good example cause I'm a tad bit confused.

Neechan1

> Ladders.
> Spiral staircases.
> Grand starcases in mansion&garden.
> I shaped.
> Outside basement stairs with the double doors you pull open.
>
> Also all those decorative items in a lot of the store worlds like spooky hollow/Dragon valley were lovely to add to the exterior.

>
> What do you mean about that last one? Like do you know a good example cause I'm a tad bit confused.

Something like a cellar door? like this? http://backoftheboard.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/joe_mcdaniel_cellar_door.jpg

I don't know how images are posted :/

BoredinTX

Oh okay! That would be cool! And I can't figure out the image thing either most of the time.

PugLove888

@Neechan1 and @BoredinTX , I can't post pics either because I think you have to upload them on a 3rd party site. Ironically, I can post pictures on the EA site! ? ! No 3rd party needed!

Loanet

marcel21 wrote: »

Loanet wrote: »

marcel21 wrote: »

Ladders.
Spiral staircases.
Grand starcases in mansion&garden.
I shaped.
Outside basement stairs with the double doors you pull open.

Also all those decorative items in a lot of the store worlds like spooky hollow/Dragon valley were lovely to add to the exterior.

Totally want that last one. It'd look great in my Camp Blood setup. And then you don't have stair entrances in the middle of the floor.

Which one do you mean?

Yeah camp blood. Is that from Friday the 13th?

Yeah, I redesigned the Granite Falls National Park to have a super-creepy feel - there's a little old abandoned house with painting activities, a pool with a meditation stool, and a swimming lake. The camp's previous explorers left behind a large tent and cheap grill in one corner. And in the middle, a campfire with tree stumps to sit around and a cheap guitar to sing songs. So you don't need to prepare in any way. But why's there a kid's bedroom in the basement? And... are those underground tunnels that allow you to get to your location faster? Good thing too, with all those trees and bushes blocking your vision, and minimal lighting at night...

It's a good thing this place isn't cursed, haunted, and a Vampire Nexus... oh, wait... there's a crypt with coffins...

So ladders and trapdoors would be super good in Camp Blood Falls. The stuff in the Laundry pack will make it look even better.