I just finished my testing of Oasis Springs. It is definitely a lot specific problem and in many cases, part of the lot works and part doesn't. The following are my results:
Arid Ridge - left side of lot does not route
Granada Place - okay
Sultry Springside - right and upper middle of lot does not route
Rio Verde -entire lot does not route
Yuma Heights - okay
Affluista Mansion - all but bottom right portion of lot does not route
Slipshod Mesquite - okay
Sandtrap Flat - okay
Nookstone - all but upper left portion of lot does not route
Pebble Burrow - entire lot does not route
Agave Abode - entire lot does not route
Cacti Casa - left side of lot does not route
Dusty Turf - left side of lot does not route
Raffia Quinta - okay
Vista Quarry - upper portion of lot does not route
Springscape - entire lot does not route
Rattlesnake Juice - entire lot does not route
Burners & Builders - okay
The Solar Flare - upper left side does not route
The Futures Past - entire lot does not route
@Cerrydd tested Selamat Pagi on Dusty Turf, and it mostly routes because only the leftmost portion of the lot is affected by this issue. If you try to get your sims on the leftmost portion of the foundation, you'll see that they walk around to another part of the foundation before stepping onto it. In an unaffected area, they will route directly onto it. I had plopped your home onto Affluista when I originally commented on it, which explains why it didn't route at all for me.
Thanks, @petalbot for that TS3 basement refresher and screenshots. I had forgotten about the foundation being its own level. No, we can't apply wall styles to foundation in TS4; it has its own style set. You'd think that whatever style has been applied to the exterior would also show up on any exposed inner foundation, but from what I can tell, there is a default color (off white) to that inner foundation, and you can't restyle it. The lighting should work though.
I'd like to add one for landscaping please:
So I'd love to have more plant options, from flowers to bushes and trees used in background and secret lots.
If not maybe bb.showhiddenobjects can unlock such awesome things for us to use.
Thanks, @petalbot for that TS3 basement refresher and screenshots. I had forgotten about the foundation being its own level. No, we can't apply wall styles to foundation in TS4; it has its own style set. You'd think that whatever style has been applied to the exterior would also show up on any exposed inner foundation, but from what I can tell, there is a default color (off white) to that inner foundation, and you can't restyle it. The lighting should work though.
Well that's a bummer! If I build a basement under a foundation in TS4, I will be sure to enclose the entrance to the basement in a small room with a door so the unflattering exposed foundation is not so exposed. I wonder why you can't apply the wallpaper to a foundation as you can walls. Is it that the foundation functions like an object (kind of similar to stairs and other build objects)?
It's difficult to explain what I mean here, but obviously there is a functional difference between TS4 and TS3 foundations. TS3 foundations seemed to have more of a wall-like behavior in that you could draw with them just like you could wall, place wallpaper on it in exactly the same way as you would a wall and it counted as a level like walls do. The TS4 foundation is more like a functional decorative object in comparison. A decorative piece to a wall or fence, (although you can delete the wall or fence on the foundation), something placed after your walls or fences are drawn.
@petalbot Yes, you're right - it's being treated as a separate build object and may be more limited with regard to styles because of that. I suspect it was a trade off in order to enable the height slider. Personally, I'm willing to put up with a little ugliness for that slider, but we have requested that the devs at least add some foundation styles that match wall styles/colors. I don't think it's too much to ask that we be able to apply an existing foundation style to the interior too; I'm guessing that they just didn't think about it when they decided to add basements.
Regarding the foundation routing issue that we're currently investigating, I tweeted @SimGuruHouts earlier, and he responded that sims are intended to be able to route over that low foundation, so these lots where they can't (or partially can't) are definitely bugged.
Ahhh, okay, guess I just got lucky with Selamat Pagi. I did know that Sims should be able to step on lvl 1 foundations, but I didn't know it was this buggy. I hardly ever see people use it, but I guess this explains why
Results from Willow Creek:
Crick Cabana - entire lot does not route
Streamlet Single - entire lot does not route
Daisy Hovel - entire lot does not route
Garden Essence - entire lot does not route
Bargain Bend:
Potters Splay - entire lot does not route
Rindle Rose - entire lot does not route
Pique Hearth - entire lot does not route
Riverside Roost - okay
Brook Bungalow - entire lot does not route
Ophelia Villa - okay
Hallow Slough - entire lot does not route
Parkshore - entire lot does not route
Umbrage Manor - entire lot does not route
Cypress Terrace - entire lot does not route
Oakenstead - okay
Magnolia Blossom - entire lot does not route
Willow Creek Archive - okay
Movers & Shakers - okay
The Blue Velvet - okay
Municipal Muses - okay
Pretty terrible overall, it either works entirely as it should or it doesn't work at all, Bargain Bend being the exception. What a tedious thing to test Hopefully they'll take a good look at this.
Yes, it was tedious! Thank you so much for pitching in, @Cerrydd! Now I can point @SimGuruHouts to the thread, and I hope our testing will make their job of fixing it easier & faster.
@petalbot Yes, you're right - it's being treated as a separate build object and may be more limited with regard to styles because of that. I suspect it was a trade off in order to enable the height slider. Personally, I'm willing to put up with a little ugliness for that slider, but we have requested that the devs at least add some foundation styles that match wall styles/colors. I don't think it's too much to ask that we be able to apply an existing foundation style to the interior too; I'm guessing that they just didn't think about it when they decided to add basements.
Regarding the foundation routing issue that we're currently investigating, I tweeted @SimGuruHouts earlier, and he responded that sims are intended to be able to route over that low foundation, so these lots where they can't (or partially can't) are definitely bugged.
Interesting route they chose to take with foundations as objects. I do like the slider a lot, but it also makes me wonder why they didn't just go with something similar to what they did with TS4 wall heights. I never really thought about it before, but the foundations aren't even solid like they are in TS3. When you delete the flooring over TS4 foundations it's big hollow space. I guess that's maybe why the foundation style doesn't carry through when the stairs cut through the foundation. The stairs are actually not cutting though foundation, but just an empty space to the floor above. I wonder what would happen if stairs from a basement were placed so that where they cut though was against the wall containing the foundation?
Nice job to you and Cerrydd testing all those lots for routing issues with level 1 foundations. I hope they fix this one quickly!
I was writing something on twitter and it's not really very usable for this kind of problems. I also have to get rid of that insane avatar, but anyways.
While ts3 has it as a level, it also adjusts to the ground below it, and the ground adjusts to the staircases coming down from it. The consequence being the foundation can be used to adjust anomalies.
When that's being said, it has been reported also in ts3 problems with grounds flattened with the flattening tool or even cfe, still not being flat. It even transferred to the foundation strangly enough on that lot. I'm not sure a fix to that was ever found. It may have been connected to spesific lots and the rotation of the world. I have hopes though that it should be easy to fix for ts4, now they know where to fix.
I'm a technical builder, but some people is even more technical than me. I know EA has said the cfe will not come, and I can see why. I was just wondering now with the modding tick in the gallery, it may be possible to code cfe lots as "This builder has used a tool EA does NOT recommend"? or something similar.
From what I've seen on more techincal builds is people do download them, but they also suffer less downloads. When people know what to expect they stay away from it. If EA say it's NOT recommended and perhaps even warn people off in the game, the less experienced builders will stay off, or just suffer the consequences.
cfe is very important to some builders, and if the community gets something to try on those who likes to really chase the possibilities of such tools might find an opening to give it more stability.
I have to point out though that I don't think I have seen what EA has said about not including it and the reasons for not doing that. I just have hopes the community might find a way around the problem, and I would like to see what they come up with. I have a fealing it might be as with the roofs, it just takes off ... among those who dare I should say.
@petalbot It's really hard to tell because they won't let you go down to the basement in camera man without actually dropping to its level (and when you do that, you can only see the ceiling). From above, it appears that the stairs do carve a part out of the foundation, like it's a solid object, but since I can't see it from the bottom, I don't know if that's just graphics designed to show up around the stairs or actually taking up space. As for the wall, when you've got stairs placed right beside it, it still appears that foundation extends below it, but there is a little gap where the wall extends out further than the foundation. This is typical of the gaps between levels though; they are all uneven (and unsightly). Thank you! There are a lot of weird issues with lots right now, and lots of people have been reporting them, so I imagine they will get attention sooner than later.
@Volvenom Yes, I saw your tweets - thank you! Hope it will be easier to fix than in TS3, but you never know... As for CFE, I'm not sure if EA ever commented on it. I said early on in this thread that I personally didn't want it back, and I've always been surprised that no one wanted to debate the topic. What I'm hoping for in TS4 is that Maxis will provide us with a slider type tool to adjust lot elevations and a way to select the portion of the lot to elevate or reduce height. It's almost like taking the concept of a modular room to the land itself in terms of the way I think it could be handled. It's the same thing I'd like to see done to rooms themselves where each room could be individually adjusted for its height and the same for individual foundation sections. I would *think* that once this was in place, it the main focus would be on creating stairs that adjust to these different preset heights, as it's really connecting the different sections or rooms that would be the tricky part (although I'm sure none of it is simple to do). Raising the landscape without CFE is probably the toughest though, if you want it to have a natural looking (and routable slope) - that would have to be built into the slider. Anyway, it's a great topic for discussion.
@petalbot It's really hard to tell because they won't let you go down to the basement in camera man without actually dropping to its level (and when you do that, you can only see the ceiling). From above, it appears that the stairs do carve a part out of the foundation, like it's a solid object, but since I can't see it from the bottom, I don't know if that's just graphics designed to show up around the stairs or actually taking up space. As for the wall, when you've got stairs placed right beside it, it still appears that foundation extends below it, but there is a little gap where the wall extends out further than the foundation. This is typical of the gaps between levels though; they are all uneven (and unsightly). Thank you! There are a lot of weird issues with lots right now, and lots of people have been reporting them, so I imagine they will get attention sooner than later.
@Volvenom Yes, I saw your tweets - thank you! Hope it will be easier to fix than in TS3, but you never know... As for CFE, I'm not sure if EA ever commented on it. I said early on in this thread that I personally didn't want it back, and I've always been surprised that no one wanted to debate the topic. What I'm hoping for in TS4 is that Maxis will provide us with a slider type tool to adjust lot elevations and a way to select the portion of the lot to elevate or reduce height. It's almost like taking the concept of a modular room to the land itself in terms of the way I think it could be handled. It's the same thing I'd like to see done to rooms themselves where each room could be individually adjusted for its height and the same for individual foundation sections. I would *think* that once this was in place, it the main focus would be on creating stairs that adjust to these different preset heights, as it's really connecting the different sections or rooms that would be the tricky part (although I'm sure none of it is simple to do). Raising the landscape without CFE is probably the toughest though, if you want it to have a natural looking (and routable slope) - that would have to be built into the slider. Anyway, it's a great topic for discussion.
Yes, I tried placing basement stairs next to the foundation wall earlier this evening and unfortunately the style disappeared. I'd seen sunken rooms created in ts4 with and foundation style shows through, I thought maybe foundation style would show if the stairs were right next to the wall. This made me realize though, that there is a way around the dark grey slab. Just, place your stairs leading to the basement in a small sunken room.
This configuration (or similar), I'm pretty sure can be created in TS4:
I also saw in one of the very first ask a guru threads when the game first came out that someone asked if CFE was going to return. The answer from the guru (Holmes I think it was) said no because it was too complicated for users. They would try to find other ways to do some of the things that you could do with CFE. Of course this was quite a while a go, but I don't think this game, the way the worlds and build mode is could implement it now anyway without big changes, at least not in full form.
Thanks for following up with the basement testing, @petalbot. I hope your solution will work for @RyeCris16. And thanks for the thread link. I didn't know they had officially commented on it. I really don't agree with him that the cheat was hard to use; the real problem was with all of the routing issues it could cause if you did things in the wrong order (at least that was my biggest difficulty with it). And once you did have a problem on the lot, there was no simple remedy for it; flattening the lot again wouldn't necessarily help you - you might have to start your build again from scratch (I know I did!).
@Volvenom Yes, I saw your tweets - thank you! Hope it will be easier to fix than in TS3, but you never know... As for CFE, I'm not sure if EA ever commented on it. I said early on in this thread that I personally didn't want it back, and I've always been surprised that no one wanted to debate the topic. What I'm hoping for in TS4 is that Maxis will provide us with a slider type tool to adjust lot elevations and a way to select the portion of the lot to elevate or reduce height. It's almost like taking the concept of a modular room to the land itself in terms of the way I think it could be handled. It's the same thing I'd like to see done to rooms themselves where each room could be individually adjusted for its height and the same for individual foundation sections. I would *think* that once this was in place, it the main focus would be on creating stairs that adjust to these different preset heights, as it's really connecting the different sections or rooms that would be the tricky part (although I'm sure none of it is simple to do). Raising the landscape without CFE is probably the toughest though, if you want it to have a natural looking (and routable slope) - that would have to be built into the slider. Anyway, it's a great topic for discussion.
What I have found very useful is the mathmatics of it, so I completely agree on a slider if it has clear steps to it. It's quite important to know where you end up in the end, since you have to make it work with staircases and the rest of the lot as you say. Since the foundation is only an object in this game I thought it might be possible to use it as a attachment on the outside for the ground to follow. Then on the inside it might be a different matter, but then it's complicated with cfe and will always be. It's more what's possible and what we can do about it. If the inside perhaps could just be different levels with a staircase between. Perhaps we could then not have that slope inside as you would have to deal with in ts3. What's inside and what's outside might end up being open to interpretation anyways.
I think the mathmatics is quite important here on that slider, it needs to be predictable.
I agree on the statement from EA, it's complicated, but lots of people take complicated very well. It doesn't mean you need to close that part of the arguement. The community has proved itself with what ended up being possible in ts3, we can handle it. In the hands of the right people it can soon turn into a gem.
Okay, so I was able to test out my suspicion that my TS3 L-shaped configuration would work in TS4 and indeed it does, but it was not as easy as I thought it would be and there is a method to the madness. I'll share it here since I have some feedback to give in the process. Tagging @RyeCris16 in case he is interested.
1. With the foundation placed, I made my small room that would become the sunken room. Then I deleted the floor in the small room, which left the foundation exposed with the foundation style intact. I then placed the stairs and ended up with this: **Please take note of the double width of the top step of the short stair case. This is critical to the method currently, unless a certain issue is fixed.
2. Well, now I just needed to delete the fencing blocking off the short stair case and all should be well, right? Wrong!
When I deleted this little piece of fence, it deleted the ceiling above my little room, letting the outside light fill the home. No problem, right? I can just replace the tiles that were deleted. Wrong!
Nope, the tiles could not be replaced. When I tried placing tiles individually, the game told me "there was nothing to change." When I tried apply tile to room option, the game told me my tile "needed to be placed over a room". So I clicked on my small room with the arrow and hmmm...my room seems to be a room according to the grid lines. Why on earth can't I tile over it? Even if the game doesn't recognize that this small room, is a room anymore, the walls and fencing are still in a bigger room, it should let me tile the entire big room. Please fix this. Or make it so deleting the wall of a room within a house does not take the ceiling with it. [maybe this issue is caused by the stairs and they should be placed after deleting the fence? Anyway, something to try out another day]
Well back to square one.
3. This time I thought, what if I push the wall with the small fence inward?
4. Bam! The fence is gone and the ceiling is still intact and my stairs are still intact:
Thank again for the help @BryonyRae and @petalbot! Sorry for the late response, I'm still very limited in English, and even at explanation.
Yes, it's too bad that we can't apply wall patterns on foundations, only the given ones from foundation section. It's unfortunate since there's a foundation trim in it.
@petalbot And as for the hole at the ceiling, you need to cover it with a square deck. Hope this helps!
@petalbot , I have been trying to make L shaped stairs with no avail, I look at this thread and "viola" her she has done it!! Could you maybe help me out?? They look fabulous by the way!! Pancake Bob seem to like them too...although, he always has that "confused" look doesn't he??
Okay, so I was able to test out my suspicion that my TS3 L-shaped configuration would work in TS4 and indeed it does, but it was not as easy as I thought it would be and there is a method to the madness. I'll share it here since I have some feedback to give in the process. Tagging @RyeCris16 in case he is interested.
1. With the foundation placed, I made my small room that would become the sunken room. Then I deleted the floor in the small room, which left the foundation exposed with the foundation style intact. I then placed the stairs and ended up with this:
**Please take note of the double width of the top step of the short stair case. This is critical to the method currently, unless a certain issue is fixed.
2. Well, now I just needed to delete the fencing blocking off the short stair case and all should be well, right? Wrong!
If you use the method that I spoke about and specifically create an L-shaped room for the stairs and then use a spandrel over the stair entrance it doesn't delete the ceiling. Also I've had success creating the L-stairs without using a double width top step.
However knowing that not everyone will want to have a spandrel it's good to have work arounds too.
Lastly, and I can't swear by this because I've only done it once or twice, but already having a second floor above the first might also prevent the ceiling over stairs from disappearing.
@RyeCris16 Awe! That makes sense. Thanks! I would also prefer to apply wall paper to foundations. But at least there is a way around the gray slab, and you should be able to apply different foundation styles to rooms. I plan on trying this one out today to see If it works out that the exterior foundation can be different from the small room foundation today.
@babycakemom I will post better step by step instructions in my thread to avoid hijacking Bry's thread. The title of my thread is the name of my latest build "Maison du Soleil." I will post later today. If the step by step works for you, I will post It as a tutorial in Roses's Building tips and tutorials thread stickied at the top of this forum.
@Mmdrgntobldrgn Yes! I saw the possibilities with spandrels. I'm definitely going to try this. I think you are probably about the second floor. I'm going to try this out today.
I've only just begun testing, so I hope that this list will grow, but here's what I've got for now.
Object resizing and MOO'd objects not preserved when lot is added from Manage Worlds. AHQ report. <-- Fixed
12/11/14 Improve the Gallery camera (details on pg 7). <-- Gallery images have been greatly improved!
Graphics Glitch - The new Get To Work fences, Be Prepared Security Fencing and For Your Protection Chain Link Fence seem to defer to most other fences (there are exceptions) in terms of retaining their edges (see pg. 14). <-- Fixed
11/17/14 Give us an option to tint window glass or add privacy windows (requested by Tart4cus) <-- New privacy windows were added in Get To Work
Issues Changed in the 5/4/15 Patch:
Floor tile orientation glitch (see pg. 6). <-- It actually seems to be worse now. Before, when I attempted to re-paint the tiles, the game would do so, but now it refused to change them (see images below).
Attempting to change tile to this:
But this is what happens:
I think this new twist is related to the lot itself (Affluista Mansion); it's one that's on our list for the foundation issue. The Affluista Mansion is one of the affected lots, and it's where I build my Rock N Roll House and where I just tested the issue. Testing on Oakenstead, my tiles are definitely all wrong when placed on the lot, but I am able to change them as I would expect.
Graphics glitch with two half gabled roof pieces placed side by side (see pg. 11). <-- Seems to have changed a bit. Still seeing a gap in the middle of the roof where the sky shows through (see image below).
Graphics Glitch - Diagonal roofs don't cut off cleanly on upper levels or ground level (they are fine on top of ground level). see pg. 14. <-- Now, it seems like they are okay on the ground but don't cut off cleanly on any higher level (see image below).
That's good news, @Cerrydd! They do still move with the wall though (as if they were wall décor). I assume you'd still like to request that the wall relationship gets removed...
Comments
I just finished my testing of Oasis Springs. It is definitely a lot specific problem and in many cases, part of the lot works and part doesn't. The following are my results:
@Cerrydd tested Selamat Pagi on Dusty Turf, and it mostly routes because only the leftmost portion of the lot is affected by this issue. If you try to get your sims on the leftmost portion of the foundation, you'll see that they walk around to another part of the foundation before stepping onto it. In an unaffected area, they will route directly onto it. I had plopped your home onto Affluista when I originally commented on it, which explains why it didn't route at all for me.
So I'd love to have more plant options, from flowers to bushes and trees used in background and secret lots.
If not maybe bb.showhiddenobjects can unlock such awesome things for us to use.
Well that's a bummer! If I build a basement under a foundation in TS4, I will be sure to enclose the entrance to the basement in a small room with a door so the unflattering exposed foundation is not so exposed. I wonder why you can't apply the wallpaper to a foundation as you can walls. Is it that the foundation functions like an object (kind of similar to stairs and other build objects)?
It's difficult to explain what I mean here, but obviously there is a functional difference between TS4 and TS3 foundations. TS3 foundations seemed to have more of a wall-like behavior in that you could draw with them just like you could wall, place wallpaper on it in exactly the same way as you would a wall and it counted as a level like walls do. The TS4 foundation is more like a functional decorative object in comparison. A decorative piece to a wall or fence, (although you can delete the wall or fence on the foundation), something placed after your walls or fences are drawn.
@petalbot Yes, you're right - it's being treated as a separate build object and may be more limited with regard to styles because of that. I suspect it was a trade off in order to enable the height slider. Personally, I'm willing to put up with a little ugliness for that slider, but we have requested that the devs at least add some foundation styles that match wall styles/colors. I don't think it's too much to ask that we be able to apply an existing foundation style to the interior too; I'm guessing that they just didn't think about it when they decided to add basements.
Regarding the foundation routing issue that we're currently investigating, I tweeted @SimGuruHouts earlier, and he responded that sims are intended to be able to route over that low foundation, so these lots where they can't (or partially can't) are definitely bugged.
Results from Willow Creek:
Crick Cabana - entire lot does not route
Streamlet Single - entire lot does not route
Daisy Hovel - entire lot does not route
Garden Essence - entire lot does not route
Bargain Bend:
Potters Splay - entire lot does not route
Rindle Rose - entire lot does not route
Pique Hearth - entire lot does not route
Riverside Roost - okay
Brook Bungalow - entire lot does not route
Ophelia Villa - okay
Hallow Slough - entire lot does not route
Parkshore - entire lot does not route
Umbrage Manor - entire lot does not route
Cypress Terrace - entire lot does not route
Oakenstead - okay
Magnolia Blossom - entire lot does not route
Willow Creek Archive - okay
Movers & Shakers - okay
The Blue Velvet - okay
Municipal Muses - okay
Pretty terrible overall, it either works entirely as it should or it doesn't work at all, Bargain Bend being the exception. What a tedious thing to test
Interesting route they chose to take with foundations as objects. I do like the slider a lot, but it also makes me wonder why they didn't just go with something similar to what they did with TS4 wall heights. I never really thought about it before, but the foundations aren't even solid like they are in TS3. When you delete the flooring over TS4 foundations it's big hollow space. I guess that's maybe why the foundation style doesn't carry through when the stairs cut through the foundation. The stairs are actually not cutting though foundation, but just an empty space to the floor above. I wonder what would happen if stairs from a basement were placed so that where they cut though was against the wall containing the foundation?
Nice job to you and Cerrydd testing all those lots for routing issues with level 1 foundations. I hope they fix this one quickly!
While ts3 has it as a level, it also adjusts to the ground below it, and the ground adjusts to the staircases coming down from it. The consequence being the foundation can be used to adjust anomalies.
When that's being said, it has been reported also in ts3 problems with grounds flattened with the flattening tool or even cfe, still not being flat. It even transferred to the foundation strangly enough on that lot. I'm not sure a fix to that was ever found. It may have been connected to spesific lots and the rotation of the world. I have hopes though that it should be easy to fix for ts4, now they know where to fix.
I'm a technical builder, but some people is even more technical than me. I know EA has said the cfe will not come, and I can see why. I was just wondering now with the modding tick in the gallery, it may be possible to code cfe lots as "This builder has used a tool EA does NOT recommend"? or something similar.
From what I've seen on more techincal builds is people do download them, but they also suffer less downloads. When people know what to expect they stay away from it. If EA say it's NOT recommended and perhaps even warn people off in the game, the less experienced builders will stay off, or just suffer the consequences.
cfe is very important to some builders, and if the community gets something to try on those who likes to really chase the possibilities of such tools might find an opening to give it more stability.
I have to point out though that I don't think I have seen what EA has said about not including it and the reasons for not doing that. I just have hopes the community might find a way around the problem, and I would like to see what they come up with. I have a fealing it might be as with the roofs, it just takes off ... among those who dare I should say.
@Volvenom Yes, I saw your tweets - thank you! Hope it will be easier to fix than in TS3, but you never know... As for CFE, I'm not sure if EA ever commented on it. I said early on in this thread that I personally didn't want it back, and I've always been surprised that no one wanted to debate the topic. What I'm hoping for in TS4 is that Maxis will provide us with a slider type tool to adjust lot elevations and a way to select the portion of the lot to elevate or reduce height. It's almost like taking the concept of a modular room to the land itself in terms of the way I think it could be handled. It's the same thing I'd like to see done to rooms themselves where each room could be individually adjusted for its height and the same for individual foundation sections. I would *think* that once this was in place, it the main focus would be on creating stairs that adjust to these different preset heights, as it's really connecting the different sections or rooms that would be the tricky part (although I'm sure none of it is simple to do). Raising the landscape without CFE is probably the toughest though, if you want it to have a natural looking (and routable slope) - that would have to be built into the slider. Anyway, it's a great topic for discussion.
Yes, I tried placing basement stairs next to the foundation wall earlier this evening and unfortunately the style disappeared. I'd seen sunken rooms created in ts4 with and foundation style shows through, I thought maybe foundation style would show if the stairs were right next to the wall. This made me realize though, that there is a way around the dark grey slab. Just, place your stairs leading to the basement in a small sunken room.
This configuration (or similar), I'm pretty sure can be created in TS4:
I also saw in one of the very first ask a guru threads when the game first came out that someone asked if CFE was going to return. The answer from the guru (Holmes I think it was) said no because it was too complicated for users. They would try to find other ways to do some of the things that you could do with CFE. Of course this was quite a while a go, but I don't think this game, the way the worlds and build mode is could implement it now anyway without big changes, at least not in full form.
Edit: I found the link to the question and guru answer: http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/12817374#Comment_12817374
What I have found very useful is the mathmatics of it, so I completely agree on a slider if it has clear steps to it. It's quite important to know where you end up in the end, since you have to make it work with staircases and the rest of the lot as you say. Since the foundation is only an object in this game I thought it might be possible to use it as a attachment on the outside for the ground to follow. Then on the inside it might be a different matter, but then it's complicated with cfe and will always be. It's more what's possible and what we can do about it. If the inside perhaps could just be different levels with a staircase between. Perhaps we could then not have that slope inside as you would have to deal with in ts3. What's inside and what's outside might end up being open to interpretation anyways.
I think the mathmatics is quite important here on that slider, it needs to be predictable.
I agree on the statement from EA, it's complicated, but lots of people take complicated very well. It doesn't mean you need to close that part of the arguement. The community has proved itself with what ended up being possible in ts3, we can handle it. In the hands of the right people it can soon turn into a gem.
1. With the foundation placed, I made my small room that would become the sunken room. Then I deleted the floor in the small room, which left the foundation exposed with the foundation style intact. I then placed the stairs and ended up with this:
**Please take note of the double width of the top step of the short stair case. This is critical to the method currently, unless a certain issue is fixed.
2. Well, now I just needed to delete the fencing blocking off the short stair case and all should be well, right? Wrong!
When I deleted this little piece of fence, it deleted the ceiling above my little room, letting the outside light fill the home. No problem, right? I can just replace the tiles that were deleted. Wrong!
Nope, the tiles could not be replaced. When I tried placing tiles individually, the game told me "there was nothing to change." When I tried apply tile to room option, the game told me my tile "needed to be placed over a room". So I clicked on my small room with the arrow and hmmm...my room seems to be a room according to the grid lines. Why on earth can't I tile over it? Even if the game doesn't recognize that this small room, is a room anymore, the walls and fencing are still in a bigger room, it should let me tile the entire big room. Please fix this. Or make it so deleting the wall of a room within a house does not take the ceiling with it. [maybe this issue is caused by the stairs and they should be placed after deleting the fence? Anyway, something to try out another day]
Well back to square one.
3. This time I thought, what if I push the wall with the small fence inward?
4. Bam! The fence is gone and the ceiling is still intact and my stairs are still intact:
5. Now, Can Sims use it? Yes they can!
Thanks to Bob Pancakes for testing it out.
Yes, it's too bad that we can't apply wall patterns on foundations, only the given ones from foundation section.
@petalbot And as for the hole at the ceiling, you need to cover it with a square deck. Hope this helps!
[http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/830829/babycakemom-showcase-thread-mint-julep#latest]
If you use the method that I spoke about and specifically create an L-shaped room for the stairs and then use a spandrel over the stair entrance it doesn't delete the ceiling. Also I've had success creating the L-stairs without using a double width top step.
However knowing that not everyone will want to have a spandrel it's good to have work arounds too.
Lastly, and I can't swear by this because I've only done it once or twice, but already having a second floor above the first might also prevent the ceiling over stairs from disappearing.
Exploring life through imagination & satire since 1969.
Save Game Often
repair & clear caches Often
S3 Studio
S3 blog Story, lists of empty lots by world
Behrooz
S2/3/4 Randomnes
@babycakemom I will post better step by step instructions in my thread to avoid hijacking Bry's thread. The title of my thread is the name of my latest build "Maison du Soleil." I will post later today. If the step by step works for you, I will post It as a tutorial in Roses's Building tips and tutorials thread stickied at the top of this forum.
@Mmdrgntobldrgn Yes! I saw the possibilities with spandrels. I'm definitely going to try this. I think you are probably about the second floor. I'm going to try this out today.
[http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/830829/babycakemom-showcase-thread-mint-julep#latest]
I've only just begun testing, so I hope that this list will grow, but here's what I've got for now.
Issues Changed in the 5/4/15 Patch:
Attempting to change tile to this:
But this is what happens:
I think this new twist is related to the lot itself (Affluista Mansion); it's one that's on our list for the foundation issue. The Affluista Mansion is one of the affected lots, and it's where I build my Rock N Roll House and where I just tested the issue. Testing on Oakenstead, my tiles are definitely all wrong when placed on the lot, but I am able to change them as I would expect.
"Fixed an issue that was pushing corner columns out of the corners if the block they were attached to was divided by the wall tool."
Just checked, and columns no longer move in and out. Woooo! They picked that one up really quick!