Using poles instead of stairs

[Matsue]

While I was adding more things to my sim's house yesterday, I realised that there wasn't much space for stairs. Rather than fiddle around changing all the furniture and walls around, I wondered if I could just use a fireman's pole instead. It turns out that it works just fine.

I build downwards as I've never built a basement before but you can build upwards with poles too.

Here's some shots. (If you've seen Torchwood, the sims here are the characters Gwen and Rhys.)






Sims can climb back up poles, so they won't get stuck down there. It also doesn't take any longer than walking up stairs.
If your sim is upstairs (or up pole?) and you click on the bed downstairs for example, they will automatically slide down the pole by themselves (or vice versa). I tried getting them to climb up with a book, and after slipping down the pole once, my sim managed the climb the second time.

The only things I haven't tried yet are whether children can climb up them, or if parents holding babies or toddlers can. I need to see what other objects they can hold too, for example plates of food, newspapers and so on.

I tried getting my pregnant sim up and down the pole and it was fine, even when she was about to give birth in a few hours.
She made a really funny face though. She was probably thinking "Why is my creator making do this while I'm heavily pregant argh!?".



Has anyone else experimented with this? Did you have any problems? Can you share any tips?

[malteser60]

I've used the fireman's pole once so far, and that was when I was recreating the house I'm living in. I used it as an access to the attic, especially as my attic, although converted, has a pull down ladder and it is located at the top of the stairs. Using the pole was the only way around it.

I had no problems, and it worked fine, it just looks odd I guess :-)

[astrothief42]

Yeah I've used the pole before. I created a sim before and made him a firefighter. He did have a little trouble going up them though. 

[Sara]

My Sims have trouble getting up the pole until their athletic skills seem to be increased. I'm going to try to use some creativity to apply them in certain nightclubs.

[TGBlank]

Funny thing is, even without athletic skill, it is somewhat faster than stairs 
They really are slow on stairs.