How do you build stairs down into water?

[Joria]

I put my Pier Fun O Won in Isla Paradiso and want to build a staircase down into the water for easy access for swimmers.  It won't touch the shore at all so can't do a pier out to the water from land.  The pier things are too short in any case.  (I tried)  I know if I put foundation down I could go from the top level down to the foundation except I need to make it taller.  How do you make the foundation into tall posts?  Thanks guys.  I knew how to do this once but totally unable to recall it.

[SigBab]

If I understand what you're asking, the way to make taller foundations is to raise the terrain on a square, place a foundation on it, then level the terrain around it.

That being said, I'm not sure the game will allow stairs to go into water.

[Ricalynn]

I don't think stairs can go into the water.

As for making, the stilted foundations taller - you can raise the terrain in one spot and then drag the foundation from that point.  There is also a trick I just read about where holding a number key can make foundations taller or shorter.   4 is the standard height as in four stairs.  1 or alt will give you 1 step foundations. 

[Joria]

I don't think stairs can go into the water.

As for making, the stilted foundations taller - you can raise the terrain in one spot and then drag the foundation from that point.  There is also a trick I just read about where holding a number key can make foundations taller or shorter.   4 is the standard height as in four stairs.  1 or alt will give you 1 step foundations.

Thank you so much!  I'll try that and I think I'll just try the ladder thing like they have in the houseboats.  Should I have numlock on or off?

[Ricalynn]

Not entirely certain - I haven't used it with keypad yet only the numbers at the top of the keyboard.  I may experiment in a little bit.

[Joria]

sigh....I've tried pretty much everything and the only way Sims will get to get onto the pier is if I use tardis to get them there.  The pier was surrounded by boats but the poor Sims can no way get on.  Back to the drawing board.  I just may have to use a different lot, one that actually touches shore.

[Dellena]

I'm pretty sure one of the guru's has stated that a pier MUST be connected to shore and have stairs touching the ground for sims to access the pier.

[Joria]

I got access to my pier!!  I had put a lot closer to, yet still not attached to dry land.  Built up the land with the terrain tool, did two sets of stairs at different elevations.  Then used the terrain tool to build a slope up to the first set of stairs.  Random Sims now waddle in the water to the first set and then up they climb!  Now to remodel the pier to fit in with IP.  I think I'll keep the "pub" and the "arcade" and remodel the toy shop to become a toddler/child game room and rest area and turn the "dress shop" or "souvenir shop" into an ice cream parlor and the other to a "restaurant/coffee bar".  I'll probably leave the stage, or rather recreate one since I'm using a very early model of the pier that doesn't have one and IP has a dearth of places for performers.