Creating a helix array

[splinters]

Not sure if I can do this without a plugin but I want a series of steps snaking around a mountain that actually gets fatter towards the top. I managed to use the radial array tool to get the exact layout I want but its all on a flat plane. Any idea how I make it helical like a spiral stair case but using each step as an object in the array?

[splinters]

Damn, I managed to do this and then add spline points to the centre to make it into a helix but whenever I try to add extra segments etc. the 'planks' just jump back to following the spline path rather than pointing towards the centre of the helix....any idea what I am doing wrong?

[splinters]

Capture 1 is what I managed to get and save as a scene but any change to the parameters (in this case the segment number) and you get the effect in Capture2. Baffled...is this a bug or unfinished tool?

[Draise]

You could duplicate the array, change the start/end point and keep the number of steps. So the steps at one end will compress (at the top) and you keep the meshes from the bottom part from the other duplicates. Do this process maybe with 4 stages, bottom bit, lower mid, upper mid and top bit.

Less mathematical, but a fix.

[spacekdet]

Where is the axis located on the initial step used to create the array?

[splinters]

Its OK guys. Made another one from scratch and it worked fine. Its not cutting edge but I love trueSpace for things like this...a few random experiments and you can usually accomplish what you want.

Cheers.