How to Build a Lap Counter for Your Race Track

Do you want to make a car race where players earn points for every lap they finish? It is super fun to watch the score go up! You will learn how to use the Score Manager device. It acts like a referee that keeps track of points. By the end, you will have a working race track. Players will get points when they cross the finish line.

What You'll Learn

• What a Score Manager is.
• How to give points for finishing a lap.
• How to connect a finish line to the score.
• How to make the game feel rewarding.

How It Works

Imagine you are playing a video game. You want to know who wins. You need a way to count points. The Score Manager is a special device in Fortnite Creative. It is like a digital scoreboard. It remembers how many points a player has.

Think of it like a jar of marbles. Every time you do something good, you add a marble. The jar holds the total count. The Score Manager does the same thing. It holds the player's score.

When a player finishes a lap, they cross a line. This line sends a signal. The signal says, "Hey! Someone finished a lap!" The Score Manager hears this signal. It then adds points to the player's total.

We use a special option called Lap Complete. This tells the Score Manager, "Give points only when a lap is finished." This is different from just touching a button. It is tied to the race rules.

Devices talk over channels: the finish-line volume broadcasts, the Score Manager listens and awards the lap.

Let's Build It

Here is how to set it up in UEFN. We will use the Score Manager device. We will also use a Trigger Volume. This volume sits at the finish line. When a player hits it, the score goes up.

First, place the Score Manager device anywhere in your world. It does not matter where. It is invisible in the game.

Next, place a Trigger Volume at your finish line. Make it wide enough for cars to pass through.

Now, we need to connect them. We use Channels. Think of channels like radio stations. The Trigger Volume broadcasts on Channel 33. The Score Manager listens to Channel 33.

Here is the setup for the Score Manager:

1. Select the Score Manager.
2. Find the Lap Complete section.
3. Set Score Value to 1. This means one lap equals one point.
4. Set Activate When Receiving From to Channel 33. This is the radio station we chose.
5. Set Increment Score on Awarding to Off. This keeps the score simple.
6. Set Play Audio to No. You can add your own sound later.

Now, set up the Trigger Volume:

1. Select the Trigger Volume.
2. Find the On Begin Overlap section.
3. Set Transmit On to Channel 33. This sends the signal.
4. Make sure Activate When Receiving From is not needed here. The volume just sends signals.

When a player crosses the finish line, the Trigger Volume sends a signal on Channel 33. The Score Manager hears it. It adds 1 point to the player. It is that simple!

Walkthrough

Let's look at what happens step by step.

1. The Start: The race begins. All players have zero points. The Score Manager is ready.
2. The Race: Players drive around the track. They have not finished a lap yet. No points are added.
3. The Finish: A player crosses the finish line. They enter the Trigger Volume.
4. The Signal: The Trigger Volume detects the player. It sends a signal on Channel 33.
5. The Score: The Score Manager receives the signal on Channel 33. It sees the Lap Complete option is active. It adds 1 point to the player.
6. The Result: The player now has 1 point. If they finish again, they get 2 points.

Try It Yourself

Can you make the points worth more? Try changing the Score Value to 5. Now each lap is worth 5 points.

Also, try adding a sound. Change Play Audio to Yes. Play a "ding" sound when they score.

Hint: Look at the Score Manager options again. You can also set Increment Score on Awarding to On. See what happens to the score display. Does it change the total differently?

Recap

The Score Manager is your game's scoreboard. It keeps track of points. The Lap Complete option gives points when a lap is finished. You connect a Trigger Volume to the Score Manager using channels. Channel 33 is a great choice for races. Now you can build exciting races with real scoring!

References

• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/designing-a-speedway-race-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite-creative/design-a-speedway-race-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/car-racing-4-add-a-scoring-system-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/party-game-4-reusable-game-manager-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/dungeon-crawler-gameplay-example-in-fortnite-creative