Why can't sim use balcony over lowered terrain?

[Hemosapien]

So I've been simming since the sims 1 and never had too much trouble with being able to fix issues with blocked paths, or unusable routes, but I'm stumped. I have built a house on a 64x64 lot, but I wanted the basement to have outside space and thought it was a good idea to lower the terrain to 1 tall wall down and build the first floor at the regular ground level. I couldn't for the life of me, make a path that the sims could get into the house at normal ground level. I made a wrap around balcony/porch with short walls, not fencing, to see if that would cover the gap between the terrain and the building, but they weren't able to go up the tiny step or walk on the floor tiles which make up the balcony/porch. Ended up leveling the terrain to the height of the basement level and putting stairs down from the edge of the plot, which they can use, no problem and I've put a staircase to the first floor inside a room I've added on, to fix the routing issue, but they still won't use the porch/balcony and I can't figure out why. Please help.

Tried to add a photo to make it a bit easier to understand what I mean, but it says the files too big... 

[SheriGR]

@Hemosapien Can you please try uploading the image to https://imgur.com/ and share a link to the imagr or try compressing it (make it smaller and lower the quality to 72dpi for the web). Or you can use this software: 

http://www.imageoptimizer.net/Pages/Home.aspx

https://www.reduceimages.com/

https://tinypng.com/

A screenshot would be very helpful. Also, when you direct them to use the balcony,  can you zoom in closely and see what image is in their mind when they question doing this and shake their head (indicating they cannot do it)? Oftentimes there will be a thought image with this refusal that is a hint as to the problem. Thanks!

[Hemosapien]

Okay, there's the problem there- I'm not even able to click on the floor tiles of the porch to tell them to walk there. The cursor with the footprints comes up, but it doesn't do anything when I click there.

Hope these pics are okay- I had to take them with my phone 

Pic 1

Pic 2

Pic 3

[SheriGR]

@Hemosapien Can you please try two things for me? First, please go in and re-trace the balcony area and make it a complete room. You can remove the ceiling afterward from the balcony 'room' if you like by clicking on a wall to the room to highlight the room then going to the floor above it (while it's highlighted) and if you see a yellow rim click on the yellow rim and choose 'remove ceiling'. If the yellow rim is not there and the room is highlighted try clicking just inside the rim of the highlighted room from the next floor up. You will only get options concerning the balcany room from above if the room is that currently highlighted, though. 

After doing that, please run a game repair [ Open Origin, click 'Game Library' then right-click Sims 4 > Repair Game ]. After that, please see if the issue has stopped. 

Can I also please find out if you have Mods or CC? Were any of your balcany elements or the door that heads to it added with MOO active?

Also, could you please upload the lot to the gallery so I can check it in my game? Just post the link here after it is uploaded. Thank you!

[Hemosapien]

Hey @SheriGR, thanks for taking the time to try to help me. I fear that the solution is going to be something super simple that I have overlooked and will kick myself hehe

I have retraced the balcony and added and then removed the ceiling, then repaired the game. I was then able to click the floor tiles to send a sim there, but only once. After that, it wouldn't let me click, again. They still could not get there The thought bubble was just the regular one that comes up when their path is blocked; with the x and the foot prints, followed by the sim shrugging and shaking its head.

I have no CC or Mods. Sorry, I have no idea what MOO is.

I have uploaded it to the gallery. Here is the link

Thanks again,

Hemosapien 

[Hemosapien]

Hey @SheriGR, thanks for taking the time to try to help me. I fear that the solution is going to be something super simple that I have overlooked and will kick myself hehe

I have retraced the balcony and added and then removed the ceiling, then repaired the game. I was then able to click the floor tiles to send a sim there, but only once. After that, it wouldn't let me click, again. They still could not get there The thought bubble was just the regular one that comes up when their path is blocked; with the x and the foot prints, followed by the sim shrugging and shaking its head.

I have no CC or Mods. Sorry, I have no idea what MOO is.

I have uploaded it to the gallery. Here is the link

Thanks again,

Hemosapien 

[SheriGR]

@Hemosapien Thank you for the link! I have done some initial testing and have found a few things...

What is not working:

• As you said, the balcony is not routable.
• Adding fencing rather than half-walls works the same.
• Removing the items form the balcany made no difference.
• Re-tracing the room made no difference (as you found).

But...

What is working:

• Adding full walls makes the balcony routable.
• Removing the ceiling and roof from the balcony room.
• Adding awnings instead over the area. (You can get rather creative with this with re-sizing using "[" & "]" and MOO): http://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/tutorials/building/cheats.php

I also tried adding a different roof over the balcony, and that then made it unroutable again.

I have added your information for other helpers to look over to see if they have other suggestions or can download the lot and test also. I will let you know if they have additional suggestions. Thanks!

[Hemosapien]

@SheriGR Thank you so much, for trying and testing things out!

Ohhh, MOO is move objects on 🙈 silly me. 

The rug under the dining table has been made larger with the } cheat. Could that have anything to do with it? 

I'm thinking that perhaps making the whole lot above ground level, might help, but I'd have to move each room, separately. I don't know if I have the brain capacity to do the whole lot 😂 that will be a job for another day!

Cheers. 

[SheriGR]

@Hemosapien No, I doubt that enlarging the carpet under the dining room table caused this, as the issue is on the balcony, that is not an adjacent room, and that carpet does not touch a wall or structural item. I use [ ] to enlarge carpets a lot, and this is not the type of issue it would cause... though it may cause issues if it is extending outside of the room. I spend an insane amount of time on some issues and troubleshooting to make certain builds, so I know what you mean. Just strive to look at it as a learning experience, and if it's just too much, sometimes you just need to move on to a new build for a while or forgo an aspect of the build you had your heart set on. Or re-do the area differently. <sigh> Sometimes it's a tough reality of building. Your lot/home looks like it would be a lot of fun to live in!

[kimchiimg]

interesting idea, this topic is promising

resize image