What's the best way to build a spiral staircase?

I'm building a lighthouse, and I want something that looks a bit better than the standard stairs. Is there a way I can make it appear as though i have a staircase?

This is the best one (only one) I've seen
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/SaboteurGreg/Spacebase copy.png

 

I'm guessing the example is the brown "stairs" on the left? I like how it uses background and foreground elements to give the psuedo-3D appearance.. Also, I might just steal that idea too... >.>

 

Yea, that. I was just kinda wondering if there's a more practical way, because from what I can tell, the spiral staircase in that picture isn't very functional.

 

You mean stairs you can simply walk up instead of it being a series of platforms disguised as a staircase? Not sure.. I generally just use the normal stairs diagonally upward one way, then diagonally upward the other way back and forth.. I also have about 2-4 blocks long platform at each turning point.. If you want stairs you cannot jump through, there are solid blocks (of your choice) in a stair-shaped manner.. You just need to a repeating L shape with only 1 block height difference between steps..

--EDIT--
Now that I tried using solid blocks to make a spiral staircase... It doesn't exactly work.. In fact, I have no idea why I thought it would to begin with.. Regardless, here is a pic I just made of using normal stairs for it..

 

Aye, as Kattanos said.

A spiral in 2D is basically just ZigZagging up and down with a pole in the middle in the background to say "This is what it is linked to" to the brain, automatically and most likely making people see it as a spiral. Perhaps not even letting it touch the walls and doing other Horizontal lines from the platforms to the middle "POLE" so that it can be seen as connected to it and even more spiral

 

Also, this is better than what I said.. (and took a pic of) I just slapped together some stairs on top of my base.. >.>

--EDIT--

I quickly slapped together something vaguely like what Cathriana said..

 

That makes sense, but how can I both connect the "steps" and be able to jump through them, without them auto turning into stairs.

 

A different background alike where you make it seem like something is connected to the middle. Just like the pole.

 

So the background would just appear shaded while the steps would be platforms, I guess?

 

Mhmm, imagination does the rest.

Everything that is "3D" is supposed to be background mostly to emulate what it could look like.

For those who are really pro there are ways to make your character go behind certain things making it seem like you walk behind and infront of the pole.

 

I was just in the screenshot section of the forums and came across a possible solution.. It appears they used 2 different platform types (they are slightly different colored) and make it look like it goes around a pole! Take a look!

I want to know how they zoom out so far.. =/

 

That's perfect. They zoom out by editing starbound.config to put in values lower than x2. Can't do it in-game.

 

Ah, I see.. I was thinking a mod or keybinding I overlooked..

 

There is a mod that gives you more zoom levels...

http://community.playstarbound.com/resources/extra-zoom-levels.982/

 

Here's what I came up with, guys. I'm happy with the results for such a simple building, but the one Kat linked still looks superior.

 

Looks Amazing, Jbeetle. Just like how I imagined it

How do you get up the stairs at the middle part? Have you made it to a platform that you can walk on?

 

gotta jump. You can't just walk up it (but you can until you hit the middle part )

 

What about a black platform there at the middle part to hide itself with the background? Giving the illusion it is behind =o? I also wish you could have "Curtains" of some kind. Would make it a lot easier to make these.

 

I think at best the black platform would just make it look like the pillar in the middle is see-through...which would work if it was a glass pillar.