This isn't really a problem, just something I can't figure out in build mode. I have noticed that some lots that I have downloaded have stairwells that take up just one floor tile. There appears to be just one connecting stairway that doesn't look like a goes anywhere, but the sims don't have any problem getting up and down. Could one of you clever people explain? Also, since I'm here, how can I place items of furniture diagonally?

Not sure what you mean about the stairs. To place items diagonally use cheat box and type boolProp allow45DegreeAngleOfRotation true While holding the item where you wish to place it, use the < > keys until is facing the direction you want. To close off this cheat type the same and use false.

That's a build technique that uses the floor elevation cheat. I never liked it myself. I'm sure there's a tutorial about somewhere.

Edit: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=167685
Unfortunately, many of the tutorials for this are so old, the pictures are gone. If you look at that thread, you can't see them. However, they are still available in the downloadable version of the tutorial there. People were calling them stealth stairs.

Can you post a link to an example of your first question?

For diagonal furniture the easy way, get yourself a cheat file. If you look up 'user start up cheat file' some pages from here will probably pop up, if not I can copy and paste mine in here. Once you have that set up including the diagonal cheat you will never have to type it out again but simply use the <> keys anytime you want to angle something.

The two lots in question were included in the SimVille world 'Italian Project'. Various people contributed lots to that. I cannot find a direct link to either. One is called 'Abusive Seaside' and the other 'Victorian Estate'. Thanks (to all) for the help with diagonal placing, I figured it would be something like that, I'm always a bit cagey about the 'boolProp' business, it tends to generate errors. I shall try joandsarah77's suggestion, it seems safer.

There are different forms of boolprop, myself I only use building forms of the cheat, preferring mods to achieve other things.

Is this the place you used?

http://modthesims.info/d/248393

That's the one.

The photos are too small, take some from the house in your own game and put them up here.

This a view inside one of the houses showing the connecting stair and the single tie opening above. Sims don't have any problem getting up there!

They are probably using cc as no, sims cannot use that. I have a 'stair' if you will that looks like a disk but can be invisible, I use it at my firehouse to make it look like they are using the pole. I know it's on here but I forget what it is called.

Editt: Found it. http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=97383

Um, did anyone read my 3rd post? They're stealth stairs. It's an oldish but well-known* build technique using the constrain floor elevation cheat. I linked to a tutorial and everything.

*well obviously not that well known since none of you seem to recognise it but there was a time when it was all the rage and there were lots of houses on here with them.

Yes Maxon, I did read your post, thats how I know they're called that. I figured it might have to do with the floor elevation cheat, though I've never quite understood how to use that. I can see why you never liked the idea, looking at that picture I took, it does look rather silly. I don't think I shall make much use of it, but it would be useful if I'm building a really tiny house, those huge staircases take up so much space and are sometimes awkward to place just where you want them. Thanks for your interest.

Its called "stealth stairs" and you can find out about them here: http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...tairs_Tutorials but I don't think the tutorials are still around but you may be able to ask the org. players who did the tutorials to redo them here at MTS.

The word doc at the bottom of post #1 can be downloaded and has the complete tutorial http://modthesims.info/t/167685

I only skimmed over the thread. I've never heard of them. Are you saying that works without using cc? I can't follow tutorials without pictures.

The word doc has the pic in it along with the tutorial. (Post# 14 or #3 above.)

Maybe you could solve that by using spiral stairs
Random Examples: http://www.thesimsresource.com/down...spiral%20stairs

I've heard of stealth stairs but had no idea what they were. I would just build them behind a fridge or other larger object to hide them. I have used those teleporters, but sometimes they look out of place yet it does come in invisible too. It takes up 1 tile, the same as stealth stairs, while a ladder needs 2 tiles. Most often I build houses on 1x1 lots and occasionally on the other mini-lots. If the constrain floor elevation cheat is the same one used to add a ground level garage to a foundation, then I have an idea how it's used, I think the stealth would work nicely in the mini houses. Spirals are okay in the mini lots too and there are some that only require 1 tile to place and a sim can pass through them if needed. This just makes them not a path routing problem in a smaller space. They still look normal. IIRC some of Marvine's spirals are made this way.

I've never liked them particularly but they are good for making a route into a small attic room.

Thanks for everybody's help and interest, I think I have it sussed now.