How does this basement peek out of the ground?

[unghie]

I was looking at domangcop's blog and I found this house:

http://blog.naver.com/PostThumbnailView.nhn?blogId=muler84&logNo=10083745390&categoryNo=0&parentCategoryNo=11

How does one execute such a basement?

[StarboardParoxysm]

Image link is busted. Can you link to the page it's on instead?

[Volvenom]

Isn't that the guy with the walk-in-basement using the basement tool?

[unghie]

Image link is busted. Can you link to the page it's on instead?http://blog.naver.com/PostThumbnailView.nhn?blogId=muler84&logNo=10083745390&categoryNo=0&parentCategoryNo=11

[Volvenom]

All those pictures and they are all of the front! Makes me think the back is no good :rofl: oh no that was only my slow pc lol.

Isn't this the house we picked up the open basement technic from: http://blog.naver.com/PostThumbnailView.nhn?blogId=muler84&logNo=10091637340&categoryNo=0&parentCategoryNo=11
You can build as many basements you want below each other, but here he has the ground close to the wall. Too bad these guys don't post on english sites.

[Tee Hee Hee]

I was looking at domangcop's blog and I found this house:

http://blog.naver.com/PostThumbnailView.nhn?blogId=muler84&logNo=10083745390&categoryNo=0&parentCategoryNo=11

How does one execute such a basement?

To have your basement "peak" out of the ground like that requires three quite basic steps.

I - build your basement where you want it to be (making sure the ground is flat)

II - use the cheat "constrainFloorElevation False"

III - use the lower terrain tool to drag the ground below the height of the basement wall

(optional IV - use "moveobjects on" to add windows)

Oh and always remember use "constrainFloorElevation True" once you're done messing with CFE! :)

Please IGNORE this post - Read on for actual solution

[Inge Jones]

I just went into the game to try this... I still can't reproduce the effect in that picture. The top of the wall becomes crooked too and I can't find a way to straighten it without bringing the ground back up again.

[Tee Hee Hee]

I just went into the game to try this... I still can't reproduce the effect in that picture. The top of the wall becomes crooked too and I can't find a way to straighten it without bringing the ground back up again.

Ok, I'll investigate! To the mystery bus...oh no wait...just to the sims 3, silly me :D

[Tee Hee Hee]

Ok, so this is possible, not in a neat, elegant or simple way though...

I will get a quick picture tutorial up soon (I promise)

Just to prove it is possible and as a sneak peak -

http://i53.tinypic.com/2v1vxio.jpg

To show a more elaborate version of what this technique can do -

http://i52.tinypic.com/jgrszl.jpg

[missroxor]

OMG....the bending skills of that builder(s).....I have no words :blink: he/she's a frickin genius. I suddenly feel like a complete novice.

That's it, as soon as the little one goes for a nap I'm gonna have to investigate....but have a feeling I'm just not smart enough to figure it out :lol:

Edit: Beat to it by teehee ;)

[Inge Jones]

Hmm I don't understand how you get a roof on it.

[missroxor]

I find the link that Volvenom posted fascinating. I've been working on trying to re-create it but I'm going round in circles, lol. I'm having issues with the simplest thing: for some reason I can't get pool windows to work anymore. Are they working fine for everyone else or is it just me?

I figure the back bit doesn't look like pool water, more like pond water but they must use 1 tile of pool or fountain to get the windows in....I think. I tried just flooding the basement but it looked pants...will keep trying (In the mean time if anybody know how to do this please put me out of my misery :lol: )

Edit: I did think about downloading it so I could just reverse engineer it but it downloads as an application rather than a sims3pack and when I try to open it my security checker goes nuts. I scanned it and it said there were no viruses or anything but I'm just wary of opening stuff up from sites that I don't know, especially when it makes my computer freak! :lol:


2nd Edit: Actually, I managed to do a flooded basement area for around the back and it worked fine. My current version is a bit messy, I'll try to do a neater version and post a pic.

[Tee Hee Hee]

Hmm I don't understand how you get a roof on it.

The roof is on top of artificially lowered wall, same height as a foundation. That's why the rocks are used to cover the back where you can't place the wall due to the stairs

I find the link that Volvenom posted fascinating. I've been working on trying to re-create it but I'm going round in circles, lol. I'm having issues with the simplest thing: for some reason I can't get pool windows to work anymore. Are they working fine for everyone else or is it just me?

I figure the back bit doesn't look like pool water, more like pond water but they must use 1 tile of pool or fountain to get the windows in....I think. I tried just flooding the basement but it looked pants...will keep trying (In the mean time if anybody know how to do this please put me out of my misery :lol: )

Edit: I did think about downloading it so I could just reverse engineer it but it downloads as an application rather than a sims3pack and when I try to open it my security checker goes nuts. I scanned it and it said there were no viruses or anything but I'm just wary of opening stuff up from sites that I don't know, especially when it makes my computer freak! :lol:

This was explored and explained in this (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=430919) thread I think, hope it helps!

[missroxor]

This was explored and explained in this (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=430919) thread I think, hope it helps!
Wow, thanks Teehee! That thread looks awesome! My pc was broke in January when that thread was being discussed so I guess I missed more than I realised :rolleyes:

[unghie]

Can't wait to see TeeHee's tut :giggler:

[Inge Jones]

Ok... I could do it with a "foundation" or lowered wall above, but doesn't this defeat the object a little as it still uses up an above-ground level and of course still suffers from the minimum 4-click height above ground? We might just as well use just a foundation to make the half submerged basement, as it does everything else required, including accepting windows with "moveobjects" cheat.

[QBUILDERZ]

To me, personally, it looks like this:

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=412319

With a stage foundation placed over it; the bushes cover where the gaps are probably located. :) I'll test it out in a second.

Changed my mind - I think Tee Hee Hee is actually right :P

[Inge Jones]

So that basement we started by talking about was never made by the basement tool at all, it;s just a foundation?

[QBUILDERZ]

See, I still wonder how it is accessible without extreme CFE *inside* of the mountain. Has anyone downloaded the lot to check it out closer?

[Tee Hee Hee]

Ok, this is a bit picture heavy so I'll put it in a spoiler

http://i51.tinypic.com/n1azqt.png

http://i55.tinypic.com/2cpav5v.png

http://i52.tinypic.com/20saced.png

http://i56.tinypic.com/2ldv90h.png

http://i55.tinypic.com/35n2f4g.png

http://i56.tinypic.com/2zg5b49.png

http://i53.tinypic.com/i35k51.png

http://i56.tinypic.com/20ihn2s.png

http://i51.tinypic.com/iyj09v.png


If any of that isn't as clear as mud please let me know and I'll try to explain :D

[Inge Jones]

I understood it, but I am not sure I see the benefit of this over using a foundation? I think it would only be preferable if you didn't have to have the extra wall above, if you could have the ground appearing to be on top of the roof without rock camouflage. And then there are the stairs half way up the wall to make it look weird...

Thanks anyway for the tut :)

[QBUILDERZ]

The only benefit is being able to place a window. With a foundation you either need two windows or place a wall - however, with the wall, the inside will become distorted as well.

It is really an issue of practicality vs. aesthetics (that are quite odd to begin with)

[Inge Jones]

Can you not place a window on a foundation wall with moveobjects?

[Tee Hee Hee]

Can you not place a window on a foundation wall with moveobjects?

You can, absolutely...but the height of it is determined by the ground level on one side

Therefore you can't have windows which have the bottom 1/2 (for example) completely below ground.


Also the benefit of this is not having to double wall to hide the change in elevation as there isn't one (in the same place at least!)

[Inge Jones]

Oh that's a good point!

[Volvenom]

What would we be doing without glitches. Great work Tee. This is something I will never ever use. So much work and so little benefit.

[Tee Hee Hee]

What would we be doing without glitches. Great work Tee. This is something I will never ever use. So much work and so little benefit.

Ha ha, thanks!

Both for the praise and the amusing comment :D

[simsample]

Thanks for that, Tee Hee Hee! :)

[Volvenom]

I can't make this work. Have tried several times. What am I doing wrong? When I try removing pieces of the basement it allowes 1 wall open, but then it always add the 2'nd wall.

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/8660/screenshot4975.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-05
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3384/screenshot4972.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-05

[Inge Jones]

I couldn't make it work either. I just put a "too stupid" sticker on myself :)

[Tee Hee Hee]

I couldn't make it work either. I just put a "too stupid" sticker on myself :)

To be honest, I'm pretty sure that technically you don't need to remove the walls, you could build a much larger basement and hide the height gap that way. I just removed the ones near to the window for the convenience of not having to slope my basement away and/or reduce the cost of the lot for the same effect.

[Volvenom]

Hm ... I can try adding some basement much lower.

I couldn't make it work either. I just put a "too stupid" sticker on myself :)

I'm never stupid, and neither are you ;) Sometimes I just attack the challenge from the wrong angle, or think too much. That's life *eating popcorn*

[Tee Hee Hee]

Hm ... I can try adding some basement much lower.



I'm never stupid, and neither are you ;) Sometimes I just attack the challenge from the wrong angle, or think too much. That's life *eating popcorn*

I've just realised a MUCH MUCH easier way of removing the walls, can't believe I've been doing this the hard way for so long "herp derp"

We already had a really quick and simple method for removing basement walls from this thread (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?p=3498457#post3498457) and this one (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=453661)!

Using the pool tool press ctrl and drag out a pool delete area touching the basement wall you want to remove. This will take the wall off the basement easy peasy :D

Can't believe I've been doing this in such an awkward way when we had this method :rofl:

[Volvenom]

I have made it with the pool tool trick. I think the first option you made was something I lost in an expantion or patch, because I do think I had it at some point. Making this was more or less the same as the open to ground basement, just adding the stairs on the inside. I have some troubles with stresswalls, hope I can get rid of them.

Anyways i didn't like those floating stairs. So I made a slightly different option. The bottom basement behind the stairs will not be useable I think, but that doesn't bother me. Some pictures.

Bottom: Nice little seating area infront of the stairs. Nothing behind it.
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6238/screenshot5131.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-15

Bottom basement pic: Added more basement at the back, to make more room above, I think :giggler:
http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/6062/screenshot5132.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-15

First floor: Can make good rooms behind the stairs. Just have to make sure the roof is high enough.
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/4691/screenshot5133.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-15

2 floor: Perhaps a roof terrace
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/734/screenshot5134.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-15

[Tee Hee Hee]

Anyways i didn't like those floating stairs. So I made a slightly different option. The bottom basement behind the stairs will not be useable I think, but that doesn't bother me.

I've found an even better work around for the stairs too now :)

I don't know if anyone remembers an old glitch to cause a ground cut out to remain after you get rid of the stairs? Well I just thought about how useful it would be and now applied it here. Essentially it involved placing your stairs into the basement, then building foundation one square back from the top of the stairs.

After that you build a second staircase down from the foundation to the top of the basement stairs (it will look like one long flight now)

To get the four square long cut out of the ground to remain simply delete the basement stairs first then delete the stairs from the foundation to ground level

*CAUTION* the only way to reverse this is by the undo button or replacing the stairs and deleting them in the opposite order so be careful not to break your precious lots :D

[Volvenom]

I need a picture of that option Tee, very curious :)

[Tee Hee Hee]

I'll do a quick picture tutorial later today (after a big roast lunch!), its completely changed how I'm going about this whole thing :D

[Tee Hee Hee]

Hi there everyone, finally back with a quick tutorial on how to remove the floor to create a excavated space for you to use with basements (no more limitations on 4 or 8 wide rooms!)

On with the show!

http://i53.tinypic.com/2w7ihhh.png

http://i52.tinypic.com/655zz7.png

http://i54.tinypic.com/10eggms.png

http://i55.tinypic.com/352f3ol.png

Hope that helps! When you combine this with the "peaking out basements" and other tricks this has certainly allowed me to create some much more exotic architecture, which may be featuring soon in my uploads...no promises though, busy with real life etc.

Any questions about this feel free to ask :)

N.B. this is only reversible by the undo button or by replacing both stairs and deleting the higher set first! Don't say I didn't warn you!

[Inge Jones]

I don't understand the function of placing that foundation and removing it? What does it do?

[Tee Hee Hee]

I don't understand the function of placing that foundation and removing it? What does it do?

It allows you to have the cut-out of ground that stairs normally make into a basement without the stairs. So we can don't have to hide the stairs like we did using the earlier technique.

It makes it neater and easier (in the long run)

[Inge Jones]

Lol I'm really not getting this at all :D You need stairs into the basement don't you, if you want to use it? But you don't need stairs down from a foundation that no longer exists, so why put them in in the first place? Just put the stairs down to the basement and leave them there? If I place a foundation and stairs and delete it again, nothing magic seems to happen to my lot that makes it any easier to have basements poking out of the ground. I still can't do it.

[Tee Hee Hee]

Lol I'm really not getting this at all :D You need stairs into the basement don't you, if you want to use it? But you don't need stairs down from a foundation that no longer exists, so why put them in in the first place? Just put the stairs down to the basement and leave them there? If I place a foundation and stairs and delete it again, nothing magic seems to happen to my lot that makes it any easier to have basements poking out of the ground. I still can't do it.

You need stairs at some point, but you don't want them everywhere down every bit of wall do you?

This allows you to only have stairs where you want them, not where you would otherwise need them to remove the ground. Why don't I go away again and show you a few examples of what this can allow you to do?

P.S. if you're getting confused it's probably not you...far more likely that I'm having my own fully formed thoughts and then not fully explaining them on "paper" here :D

[Inge Jones]

No I think it's me. I didn't understand the original and I haven't understood any of it. I am actually wondering whether I actually understand what the goal is, either. An actual basement made solely with the basement tool, that isn't covered by soil - is that right? Cos usually I just use the foundation method and acheive a similar effect.

[Tee Hee Hee]

Essentially the main thing that you can do with this that isn't normally possible is to have a wall separating two different height areas without any need for a buffer square hiding the height difference. You can get a real retaining wall using this effect, and sunken basements that have sloped terrain around them and windows with the bottom below the ground, all sorts of things otherwise impossible to do!

I understood it, but I am not sure I see the benefit of this over using a foundation? I think it would only be preferable if you didn't have to have the extra wall above, if you could have the ground appearing to be on top of the roof without rock camouflage. And then there are the stairs half way up the wall to make it look weird...

Thanks anyway for the tut :)

That is the bit of the equation this changes...no need for wierd wall hanging stairs!

[Volvenom]

Interesting Tee :) Gonna try that. We beat him to it lolz

I'm in the middle of connecting this thing to a house. Easier said then done. I may use part of your thing, and let some stairs stay in place. Will report back if I get some good idea's.

[simsample]

Thanks for that latest bit, Tee Hee Hee! That's very useful, I wish I had known this when we were working on reproducing Domangcop's basement building in this thread:
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=430919

It will be especially handy for building sunken courtyards like this:
http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/25636_110206125524064.jpg
Without having to have the steps all around.

[Tee Hee Hee]

Just to give you a practical example of something new to do with this technique... have a look at this :)

http://i55.tinypic.com/2nrmt6d.jpg

P.S. there is a roof on there, I was just looking at the wrong level, have a peek at a wider angle!

http://i56.tinypic.com/vmx4pt.jpg

[Volvenom]

My 2 and 3 attempt at this was much more useful.

I just bulldozed this one, perhaps something to regret lol
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/815/screenshot5228.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-18

I like to keep things simple. The house I'm working on now:
http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/1397/screenshot5279.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-20

On the inside of this house I have a basement livingroom kind of with lights in it. That's something I can't do at least with a foundation. There's no light in a foundation now, not even with regular walls around most of the house. Behind the livingroom in the basement I have more basement with bedrooms in it. The main house will be upstairs. I managed to chop off 1/4 wall somewhere in the basement. I think I know how I did that lol. I have to figure out if I need a fix and how to do it.

Here you see why I keep wanting more of this feature - lights. I'm also trying to figure out a way to get an entrance in there:
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7872/screenshot5285.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-20

[Tee Hee Hee]

Nice to see someone else using this trick for building new things! Please show us more as it progresses :)

[Volvenom]

Yes, it's fun to see what people do with it. I like it simple as I said though, so probably not much to show :) I hope you come up with much more Tee. You are the one to solve the math :)
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-hug010.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

I'm not sure I like the effect on the inside. Just a hollow something http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-confused013.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

Off topic: I'm testing out new smileys lol
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys-hug-001.php

[Tee Hee Hee]

I'm not sure I like the effect on the inside. Just a hollow something http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-confused013.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys-hug-001.php

Yeah, the only problem with this is what it looks like under the ground through the windows from the inside. It is possible to create a small artificial room to stop people seeing the "void" below the ground but its a bit of a faff really :faceslap:

[Dramamine]

Hey guys, I can't seem to get past the step where you place the second set of staircases on the foundation to the ground at the top of the staircases leading down into the basement. The selected stairs (which show up as a full flight of sixteen stairs versus the required four) turn red and I get "Can't intersect other objects." I've tried to place the staircase with CFE on and off, moveobjects on and off as well (just in case...) I followed your steps exactly, although the ground is already lowered around the far corner of my basement due to the shape of the world, but the basement tool brought the ground up to level, when it's done I'm planning on "peeking" it through in that corner, and sculpting the terrain to match the world terrain. I don't really think that's my problem. I'm building a house on the side of a mountain and I wanted to try to incorporate a daylight basement, however the terrain is too steep so I was just going to peek that corner through, but I just can't place the freaking stairs!
I'm sure it's something small and stupid but it's way beyond me at this point.
Anybody know what I should do?

Also, once the basement is completed, how is a roof and/or second story (or main floor, as the case may be) added on top of this? I noticed in your pictures there are no gridlines above the excavated basement for placing walls or floors, so I'm curious as to how that works.

[Tee Hee Hee]

Hey guys, I can't seem to get past the step where you place the second set of staircases on the foundation to the ground at the top of the staircases leading down into the basement. The selected stairs (which show up as a full flight of sixteen stairs versus the required four) turn red and I get "Can't intersect other objects." I've tried to place the staircase with CFE on and off, moveobjects on and off as well (just in case...) I followed your steps exactly, although the ground is already lowered around the far corner of my basement due to the shape of the world, but the basement tool brought the ground up to level, when it's done I'm planning on "peeking" it through in that corner, and sculpting the terrain to match the world terrain. I don't really think that's my problem. I'm building a house on the side of a mountain and I wanted to try to incorporate a daylight basement, however the terrain is too steep so I was just going to peek that corner through, but I just can't place the freaking stairs!
I'm sure it's something small and stupid but it's way beyond me at this point.
Anybody know what I should do?

Also, once the basement is completed, how is a roof and/or second story (or main floor, as the case may be) added on top of this? I noticed in your pictures there are no gridlines above the excavated basement for placing walls or floors, so I'm curious as to how that works.

About placing the second set of stairs, a few things to check namely :

is the foundation the right height (ie four clicks not the same height as a wall?)
and is the surrounding terrain level (I've found that uneven terrain surrounding where I want to do this can be unhelpful.

About the second issue, I found that if you try to place walls direct above the void it wont let you place them so you have to place a wall from one square outside your "excavated" section and hold the wall tool down and drag across to the far side to get a long wall running across the gap, then place the floor tiles above, then delete the wall you don't want! :)

[Volvenom]

You also have to make sure no windows or any objects if where you want the stairs to be. I took the liberty of making a video tutorial too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqn_QvMlG_0

Take a look at my house in the feedback forum. I have posted some pictures of the windows from the inside. I think the effect on the inside is a major drawback, but how major? http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=459374&goto=lastpost

[Volvenom]

I just think this is a major problem. If I'm suppose to have sunlight in, it would be nice to see out as well.

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/1406/screenshot191r.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-31

Compared to this?

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8507/screenshot199q.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-31

The thing is ... I just remembered before I tossed all my lots away with pets. When I had the stairs in there, and just a little infront of the windows. Then I did have a view out. Because I do have a view out in the floor above and can look down.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/8938/screenshot197m.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-31

So perhaps I'm back to having those stairs then?

[Tee Hee Hee]

I just think this is a major problem. If I'm suppose to have sunlight in, it would be nice to see out as well.

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/1406/screenshot191r.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-31

Compared to this?

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8507/screenshot199q.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-31

The thing is ... I just remembered before I tossed all my lots away with pets. When I had the stairs in there, and just a little infront of the windows. Then I did have a view out. Because I do have a view out in the floor above and can look down.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/8938/screenshot197m.jpg
By skaribanan (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/skaribanan) at 2011-10-31

So perhaps I'm back to having those stairs then?

I'm not sure what you're doing differently but I can see out of my windows...

For example:

http://i44.tinypic.com/9bho5f.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/10g0b2e.jpg

Admittedly they look better much better from the outside but I still think its worth the effect from the inside for that.

[Volvenom]

I got pets too, that might make it different. I can go back to the tutorial to see if I'm doing anything different. It can't be the removal of the wall on the ground floor to uncover the windows, because then I wouldn't be able to see in either.