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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 26th Jun 2013 at 3:38 PM
Default Foundations inside basements - how to?
So a couple years ago my hard drive burnt (not no ashes, but almost) and I lost all the Sims content inside it. One of my most valuable things was a recreation of the building where I live, with an almost perfect copy of my house in one of the floors. That took me several months to build so when I lost it I was just too upset to rebuilt everything again. Which is what I'm trying to do now. Except I'm sorta stuck.

I remember I had a basement to be the underground garage, which had some sort of foundation inside it where the elevators would go and that then had stairs that would go from the foundation to the garage floor.

And now I can't do that any more. When I try to build a foundation/deck on my basement nothing happens. Just can't be done. So I thought it had something to do with some cheat cause I remember there were lots of cheats and construction tricks involved into making that building as realistic as possible. So I tried "PlaceFriezes on" and now I get the "Friezes must be built above ground level" message. So I thought maybe I was wrong, maybe it wasn't really a foundation, maybe it was just the terrain that was elevated, but even with the "constrainfloorelevation false" you can't raise/lower terrain on basements. Also, the fact that it had stairs leads me to believe that it really was a foundation. So my question is: How on earth did I manage to get underground foundations back then? Any ideas?
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Test Subject
#2 Old 26th Jun 2013 at 3:44 PM
I haven't tried it but give "constrainfloorelevation false" a try
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#3 Old 26th Jun 2013 at 4:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by MartG
I haven't tried it but give "constrainfloorelevation false" a try


I already did, it displays a "Only exposed terrain can be edited." message. At first I thought it was because I had tiles on my basement floor but It'll show the same message even if I remove them all.
Test Subject
#4 Old 26th Jun 2013 at 4:09 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Minaki
I already did, it displays a "Only exposed terrain can be edited." message. At first I thought it was because I had tiles on my basement floor but It'll show the same message even if I remove them all.


aah ok, sorry I'm out of ideas.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 26th Jun 2013 at 4:12 PM
You can't have foundations in basements. Foundations are an entire floor level so it doesn't work. You'll have to do a platform.

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~ Just a click a day is nothing short of helpful! ~
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#6 Old 26th Jun 2013 at 4:57 PM
Quote: Originally posted by matrix54
You can't have foundations in basements. Foundations are an entire floor level so it doesn't work. You'll have to do a platform.


I tried, it gives me the same message.

Is there any way (using the cheats) to build a foundation on ground level and then slowly lower it so it'll end up on basement level?
Mad Poster
#7 Old 26th Jun 2013 at 5:19 PM
How are you unable to use a platform underground? Turn placefriezes off - that could the the issue. It's a really finicky tool. I don't know why they didn't just add it to the foundation sort, but whatever. -_-

->> Check Out Checkout: Journey To Employee Of The Month! <<-

~ Just a click a day is nothing short of helpful! ~
Eminence Grise
#8 Old 27th Jun 2013 at 12:11 AM
Moving to Building forum, where the build experts are
dodgy builder
#9 Old 27th Jun 2013 at 9:34 AM
A widely used trick was, and still is, to just use a foundation for the garage. Just keep the ground level and place 3 staircases down. That gives you the baselevel of your garage. Drag it with the terraintool straight through your foundation. Then you remove parts of your foundation and put up regular walls instead. If you did the stairs trick right, you shouldn't need any cheats at all.

... but with the new basement tools I guess you have to be very careful with you ground level, and put your foundation on top. Then make the stairs.
mature minion
retired moderator
#10 Old 27th Jun 2013 at 11:46 AM
You might have some joy with using the old style basements which weren't really basements but just lowered terrain. Then you'd be able to build a foundation inside of it and have it still able to have a garage door in to it?
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#11 Old 27th Jun 2013 at 12:08 PM
Sorry for not replying earlier but I had to leave for my driving lessons yesterday and I had two more this morning Dx

Quote: Originally posted by matrix54
How are you unable to use a platform underground? Turn placefriezes off - that could the the issue. It's a really finicky tool. I don't know why they didn't just add it to the foundation sort, but whatever. -_-

You were right, I managed to build a platform now
I'm just upset cause I know I had some form of underground platform, as I clearly remember it even had to have stairs. It's annoying cause I'm well aware I'm stuck at the exact same place I was stuck when I built this building the first time, except back then I was following some sort of tutorial and now I can't find it cause I don't even remember exactly what I did back then, all I can recall is the final result.

Quote: Originally posted by Srikandi
Moving to Building forum, where the build experts are

Thank you so much, I tried to do that but I was having an hard time finding the right forum :D
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#12 Old 27th Jun 2013 at 12:12 PM Last edited by Minaki : 27th Jun 2013 at 3:01 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Tee Hee Hee
You might have some joy with using the old style basements which weren't really basements but just lowered terrain. Then you'd be able to build a foundation inside of it and have it still able to have a garage door in to it?

I didn't have a garage door. Since the entire underground level is the garage, I had ramp-shapped staircase* connecting the underground floor and the floor on top of it.
I do remember I was following some really complex tutorials back then, any idea where I can find some about the old basement-making techniques so I can give it a try?
edit: nvm, i'll try out this one (http://www.modthesims.info/article.php?t=365964) and keep you posted

*https://www.thesimsresource.com/dow...amp/id/1058580/

On another note, I never got to test the elevators cause since I was creating my own meshes to make my house more realistic, the building was never really finished. I'm placing elevators on the public levels (Public Room Maker) and just elevator shafts on the hidden rooms (Level Skip Maker). Am I doing it right?
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#13 Old 27th Jun 2013 at 5:05 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Minaki
edit: nvm, i'll try out this one (http://www.modthesims.info/article.php?t=365964) and keep you posted


Well, I managed to create my underground garage, using that tutorial but when I try to build a foundation inside it it looks like a skyscraper, cause the base is on the garage but foundation stretches until the top is align with the ground level. Either I did something wrong or this is not how I did it before, I dunno. This is confusing.
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 30th Jun 2013 at 11:46 PM Last edited by Dantes : 1st Jul 2013 at 4:03 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Minaki
Well, I managed to create my underground garage, using that tutorial but when I try to build a foundation inside it it looks like a skyscraper, cause the base is on the garage but foundation stretches until the top is align with the ground level. Either I did something wrong or this is not how I did it before, I dunno. This is confusing.


I made this for you. No cheat needed here. Hope can help.

http://postimg.org/gallery/6fnp2j5m

The MTS3 Build to Plan Contest Winner.
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=417308
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#15 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 8:33 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Dantes
I made this for you. No cheat needed here. Hope can help.

http://postimg.org/my.php?gallery=6fnp2j5m


I'm sorry but I can't see the image, it redirects me to the main page.
dodgy builder
#16 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 10:06 AM
I get seasickness from this thread.

Quote: Originally posted by matrix54
You can't have foundations in basements. Foundations are an entire floor level so it doesn't work. You'll have to do a platform.


Minaki: Did you read what I wrote earlier? Do you have a picture of what you're attempting to do?

Foundations are above ground, basements below ground. You can't do anything about that.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#17 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 1:05 PM Last edited by Minaki : 1st Jul 2013 at 2:39 PM.
The platforms work now, but they're too low for what I need, I'd need either a foundation or something with the same height, where I could place an elevator and also, that could have stairs attached to it*. I don't have a picture of what I'm attempting to do cause I can't do it ^^'' What I can do is build on groundfloor what I want to build underground so that you guys know what I'm trying to build. I'll do that and post a picture when I finish.

*both the foundation and the stairs can be fake, as long as I can place a real elevator on top of it

And Volvenom, I know you're not SUPPOSED to build foundations below ground level, but I also know I did it once, I just don't remember HOW I did it and it's driving me nuts ok? >_>


edit: Ok, as promissed, here are some screenshots of what my old basement/garage looked like:



I don't recall if I had built that with foundations or just leveled the terrain level though, but it had stairs and looked like that.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#18 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 2:51 PM Last edited by Minaki : 1st Jul 2013 at 3:25 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Dantes
I made this for you. No cheat needed here. Hope can help.

http://postimg.org/my.php?gallery=6fnp2j5m

I just changed the link to http://postimg.org/gallery/6fnp2j5m and managed to see it xD
I had already tried that since I came across Necessitorial - Basements and all their goodies! and I think this might be it, but if I use this method I then have a different problem. This garage is supposed to be an underground garage of a building, so there's gonna be a building on top of it. My problem is that I need the top of the foundation walls to be at the same level as the ground level (cause the garage gate will be on ground level), so I'm not playing with the terrain tool to see if I can get the perfect hight or not.

I'll keep you posted on progress.


EDIT: I'm stuck on placing the three stairs, it only lets me put down one.
Lab Assistant
#19 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 4:49 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Minaki
I just changed the link to My problem is that I need the top of the foundation walls to be at the same level as the ground level (cause the garage gate will be on ground level),


The game dont allow that. It's impossible. You'll always get a four steps up to the ground.

Quote: Originally posted by Minaki
EDIT: I'm stuck on placing the three stairs, it only lets me put down one.


Just clik with the staircase on the foot of the last step.

The MTS3 Build to Plan Contest Winner.
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=417308
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#20 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 5:42 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Dantes
The game dont allow that. It's impossible. You'll always get a four steps up to the ground.

Just click with the staircase on the foot of the last step.

I only need the garage ceiling to be at the same heigh as the ground level, cause that's where both the entrance to the building and to the garage will be, so their floor will be the ceiling of the garage. I need them to be the same heigh, that's all, even if that heigh is not the default ground-level high and ends up being foundation-high instead (or even a bot higher).

I need to leave now to go to my driving class, I'll be back in 2 hours. If I can't post again today (still have chores to do) I'll post the progress tomorrow.
Lab Assistant
#21 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 9:55 PM Last edited by Dantes : 1st Jul 2013 at 11:12 PM.
---------------------

Sorry.

The MTS3 Build to Plan Contest Winner.
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=417308
dodgy builder
#22 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 10:26 PM
I don't care about what you're SUPPOSE to, I only care about what's possible. What Dante just made a tutorial for is the same as I said earlier, but nevermind
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#23 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 11:02 PM Last edited by Minaki : 2nd Jul 2013 at 2:05 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Volvenom
I don't care about what you're SUPPOSE to, I only care about what's possible. What Dante just made a tutorial for is the same as I said earlier, but nevermind

Yeah, but as I said, I remember I was able to do it somehow, I just wanted the community to help me fill my memory gaps cause I knew there was a way




So I came back from my lesson and went to have dinner. After that I thought "well, I think I'm almost done with the garage, let me take some pictures to put on the forum before I attempt to work on the top floor".
So I launched my game and opened the house I was building and it looked like this:
(click for full size)

In case you can't tell... my house became a swimming pool! It's filled with water!!!
Any idea how to fix this?

I have seasons installed, but I didn't know it would rain on an under-construction house >_>

ps: I need to go to bed now, I'll deal with this unexpected flood tomorrow.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#24 Old 1st Jul 2013 at 11:12 PM
Looks like you dug down into the water table. Are you sure you didn't build your original house into a hill? Sorry I am no help.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#25 Old 2nd Jul 2013 at 8:39 AM Last edited by Minaki : 2nd Jul 2013 at 2:04 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
Looks like you dug down into the water table. Are you sure you didn't build your original house into a hill? Sorry I am no help.

I built my house near the road on Aurora Skies. All I did was delete the terrain that was there and replace it with a custom-sized one, but that area doesn't seem to be on a hill.
And I didn't know one could build into a water table, that has never happened to me before I suppose I can try to rebuild everything on a different world and see if I can manage to get a dry building this time.

EDIT:
This is what it looks like in the dry Appalosa Plains:
(click for full size)
It's the same as before, but now totally water free ^_^

I'm now working on leveling the top floors. So far I can already anticipate one problem: once I finish covering the floor, I will no longer be able to see inside the garage. Don't know if that'll happen only in buy/build mode or also during gameplay. As always, I'll keep you posted.
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