The purpose of this tutorial is to demonstrate the steps to constructing a stacked stage in the hopes that someone will expand upon its use. As it stands presently, the use of a stacked stage is limited because of two factors that I can see, which are the inherent nature of stages and that the game views their stacking as separate levels. Given the creativeness of builders, this will hopefully change. This is my intent in providing this tutorial: that it will serve as a basis to achieve greater applications with stages.

Tutorial is in WORD format.

What kind of thoughts did you have about how stages would be more useful than straight dummy levels.

I have certainly been frustrated with how limited stages really seem to be. They seemed so cool when I was reading about them before OFB release. Now that I actually have them, I haven't been able to figure out how to use them in creative ways. They seem like just a very limited dummy level -- occassionally handy for their installation simplicity -- but nothing I couldn't do just as well with a dummy level.

If nothing else, I hope this stimulates some discussion about various 'less obvious' ways to use stages.

Synopsis for those who haven't read the tutorial yet and are familar with using CFE: Shrink to 4 click levels and then place stages on the levels. With this technique you can produce a visible stack of stages.

Thank you V1ND1CARE! I will experiment with it a.s.a.p!

Stages have been a bit of a disappointment to me as well. Given the hype when stages were first announced, I had thought that they would offer more. And then they fell short of most people’s expectations. This is the case of stacked stages and my initial hesitation in drafting this tutorial. The knowledge that stacked stages are achievable, at this juncture, is the high note.

I’ve played with stacking stages here and there over the last couple of days, but I’ve yet to find a useful reason for doing so. There already exists the means to build what can be constructed by stacking the stages and by even simpler means. That’s why I had only published this find in my journal. However, as there was an interest and a couple of requests for a tutorial, I thought that at the very least this might lead someone to fiddling around with it more and uncovering some useful ways in which stages might be applied. I just have yet to see it.

One strange behavior that I did notice when warping stages, were the reflections into the neighborhood view, almost like a rip, which I have yet to understand. But beyond using stages for easy accents, less walls drawn as a means of cheating the wall limitation imposed by the game, or as an inexpensive building material for starter lots, I just don’t see much benefit from their behavior and use in the game. You’re right: they are so disappointingly limited. Not to mention that they are quirky and tend to crash my game.

They are quirky. I have had crashes that I am pretty sure were caused by me trying to take out stages. In a given lot, the crash is repeatable, but if I try to replicate in a different lot, it doesn't crash. I bored of the inquirey into what situation causes a crash long before I found the answer.

That was cool.. Finally, got a copy of wd97vwr32 from an "olde" site which happens to host the software to view it. So, word 97 viewer can open it perfectly... without installing anything.

I can't allow myself using the lastest annoying 2003 viewer...:P

Back to the point, so, basically, the stacking can be done through compressed multilevelled rooms, and then then delete the walls so as to get rid of the grids... Without the grids, no restriction on sims accessment results. So, the OFB stage is kinda like the connecting/modular stairs that the position and location will remain the same regardless how the surrounding is altered later?

Wonderful findings...
:claps:

I think the best thing we can attempt to do is keep trying to find out where and how the stage is defined and create versions of different heights. What we all want is a half-landing that doesn't have to warp a wall or be a different level. An 8-click-high stage would be the ideal solution. Or even just floors with a different offset.

Thank you for the tutorial, I will definitely have a look.

ditto to what Nengi said, most interesting xx

I tried playing with this last night, the only thing that irked me was not being able to use a second story stiarcase to connect to the highest level of staging, HOWEVER, We all owe you a huge thanks becuase this is an incredible step in the right direction towards learning how these stages function and what uses we can pull from them. This must have taken a careful bit of planning on your part and is very appreciated

So, the second level cannot connect to the toppest stage, right?
If so, it sounds the toppest stage is really at the a higher level than the second level... even if the stages appears and are not hidden.
My idea is from the point "3" here

Well thank you very much for this tutorial. It is very cool. However it looks like it may not be very practical for home building (which is what I was going to use it for)because like you said, the game thinks it's different levels, so in order to see all at once you have to click the level up button several times. And for homes that's not very practical. However for community lots, you could make a really cool theater! Once again great tutorial! I'll defenetly play around with it to see how many uses I could find.

Just an FYI, my game seems to crash every time I try to lower a level that has a stage already on it. Be sure you at least save before you try, ... or better yet, get all your levels set before you start adding stages.

the problem is that stacking staged this way removes their advantage over split levels.

bluetexasbonnie -- lowering anything beneath a stage is a sure fire way to crash my game as well. However, and I think that this is due to the upside down nature of a stage, one can raise and warp up levels with stages upon them.

Fat D – You’re right. The only workaround is to integrate this method with foundation and walls. At most, however, that buys you two to three split levels on one floor.

bluetexasbonnie,

That's why it was suggested to do the wall and levelling thing prior to stage addition.

I realize V1ND1CARE's tutorial doesn't have you try to lower the level after installing stages. I was just playing around with levels & stages seeing what I could do -- as I'm sure many will be doing after this tutorial. Thought I'd give folks a heads up, so they could be prepared for the possibility.

I agree with Inge (my superhero) that the best thing would be if it was possible to make the stage 8 clicks high so it can be used for landings. I have yet to find a reason to use them as they are now.

Actually, you can get some nice use from the stage for outdoor stairs, combined with the foundations, as well as using it for a short landing at the foot of the stairs. Still, I would love to be able to have stage pieces at 12, 8 and 4 clicks, just to have many more options.

I have been wanting to do that so that I could make a grand staircase with different levels, I will have to try it out. I am so excited. You are very talented, keep up the great work! Thank you...Icey