Vertical Velocity: Mastering the Ascender Device

Forget building a 90-degree ramp to the top of a mountain. That’s for amateurs. If you want to make players feel like they’re in a high-octane action movie (or just tired of walking), you need the Ascender. Think of it as a zipline that only goes up—or down—and it moves you at speeds that would make a Battle Bus jealous. In this tutorial, we’re going to stop treating verticality like a chore and start treating it like a weapon.

What You'll Learn

• How the Ascender device works (and why it’s better than a ladder).
• The three "flavors" of Ascenders: Ground, Wall, and Cable.
• How to use Enable/Disable functions to create traps and timed events.
• How to chain devices together for a vertical combat arena.

How It Works

What is an Ascender?

In Fortnite Battle Royale, the Ascender is a gadget that shoots a cable out and pulls you vertically. In Creative, it’s a device you place in the world. It’s not just a prop; it’s a device, which means it has settings, triggers, and can talk to other devices.

Think of the Ascender like a Trampoline, but instead of bouncing you up a few feet, it rockets you to the top of a skyscraper. The key difference? It’s continuous. You can ride it up, get off, and ride it back down.

The Three Versions

When you place an Ascender, you have to pick a type. This is like choosing between a Shotgun, an Assault Rifle, and a Sniper—each has a specific use case.

1. Ground Ascender: This one sits on the floor. It shoots a cable straight up. Perfect for pulling players out of a pit or onto a rooftop.
2. Wall Ascender: This mounts on a wall. It shoots the cable horizontally or diagonally from the wall surface. Great for swinging across a gap or pulling someone out of a corner.
3. Cable Ascender: This is the versatile one. It doesn’t have a "base" on the ground; it just needs two points to connect. It’s like a zipline that can go up, down, or sideways.

The "Max Cable Length" Setting

This is the most important setting. Imagine you’re placing an Ascender on the ground, but the roof is 100 meters away. If your Max Cable Length is set to 50 meters, the cable will snap. It won’t reach. The player will just hang there, confused, while the storm catches up to them. Always check your distance before you set your length.

Enable and Disable: The On/Off Switch

Every device in Fortnite Creative has Enable and Disable functions. Think of this like the Storm. When the Storm is "Enabled," it’s moving and killing you. When it’s "Disabled," it’s just a circle on the map doing nothing.

You can use these functions to make your Ascender appear only when a player picks up a key, or disappear after they’ve used it once. This is how you turn a simple travel tool into a puzzle or a trap.

Let's Build It

We’re going to build a "Vertical Gauntlet." Here’s the scenario: Players spawn at the bottom of a tall tower. They have to ride an Ascender to the top. But here’s the twist: The Ascender only works for 10 seconds. If they’re not at the top by then, they fall back down. This teaches us how to use Timers to control Device States.

Step 1: The Setup

1. Place a Player Spawner at the bottom of your map (let’s say height 0).
2. Build a tall tower (or just place a platform at height 50).
3. Place a Ground Ascender at the base of the tower. Point it up.
4. Set the Ascender’s Max Cable Length to 60 (so it reaches the top).

Step 2: The Logic (Verse)

Now, we need to make the Ascender turn on when the game starts, and turn off after 10 seconds. We’ll use a simple Verse script.

# This is a simple Verse script to control an Ascender
# Think of this as the "Brain" of the island

use:FortniteVerse
use:Devices

# We need to reference the Ascender device in our code
# This is like pointing to a specific door in a house
AscenderDevice := Device<"Ascender">

# This function runs when the game starts
# Think of it as the "Ready Up" screen ending
OnBegin<override>()<suspends>:void=
    # Wait 10 seconds (like a countdown before a match)
    Wait(10.0)
    
    # Disable the Ascender
    # This is like hitting the "Off" switch on a lamp
    AscenderDevice.Disable()
    
    # Optional: Enable it again after 5 more seconds
    # This creates a loop, like a respawning loot chest
    Wait(5.0)
    AscenderDevice.Enable()

Step 3: Connecting the Dots

1. In UEFN, place the Verse Device (found in the Devices tab under "Verse").
2. In the Verse Device’s properties, paste the code above.
3. Crucial Step: You need to tell the Verse Device which Ascender to control. In the Verse Device’s properties, look for the Target field. Drag your Ascender device from the world into this field.
4. Play the game. You’ll spawn, hit the Ascender, and ride up. After 10 seconds, the Ascender will disable. If you’re still on it, you’ll drop. If you’re at the top, you’re safe.

Why This Works

This setup uses Events (OnBegin) and Functions (Disable/Enable). The Event is the trigger (game start). The Function is the action (turn off the Ascender). By chaining these together, you create a dynamic experience that changes over time, rather than a static map.

Try It Yourself

Challenge: Modify the code above to create a "Trap Ascender."

1. Place an Ascender at the top of a cliff.
2. When a player rides it, it should pull them down to the bottom.
3. But, add a Trigger Volume (a box you can walk into) at the top.
4. When the player enters the Trigger Volume, the Ascender should Disable for 5 seconds, then Enable again.

Hint: You’ll need to use the Trigger Volume device’s OnEnter event to call the Disable() function, and then use a Wait to call Enable() again. Don’t forget to drag the Ascender into the Trigger Volume’s target field!

Recap

• The Ascender is a vertical travel device that’s faster and more fun than ladders or ramps.
• There are three types: Ground, Wall, and Cable. Choose the one that fits your terrain.
• Use Enable/Disable functions to control when the Ascender works. This is your primary tool for creating puzzles and traps.
• Always check your Max Cable Length to ensure the cable reaches its destination.

References

• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/using-ascender-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite-creative/using-ascender-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/ascender-device-design-examples-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/uefn/31-30-release-notes-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/31-30-fortnite-ecosystem-updates-and-release-notes-in-creative-and-unreal-editor-for-fortnite