Build a "Whack-a-Mole" on Steroids: The Target Dummy Track

Stop building static target ranges that feel like homework. If you want your players to actually play your island, you need movement, chaos, and targets that don’t just sit there taking bullets like a brick wall. Enter the Target Dummy Track. It’s the mechanical equivalent of a rogue NPC that refuses to stay still, letting you build shooting galleries, reaction-time tests, and pure adrenaline-fueled chaos.

In this tutorial, we’re going to build a "Speed Run" shooting gallery. You’ll learn how to make a target that moves on its own, reacts to being hit, and tracks your score in real-time. No coding required yet—just pure device logic that feels like magic until you see the wires.

What You'll Learn

• The Difference Between Static and Dynamic Targets: Why a regular Target Dummy is for practice, but the Track is for games.
• Device Channels: How to think of these like walkie-talkie frequencies so devices can talk to each other without touching.
• The "Pop-Up" Mechanic: How to make a target stay hidden until the game actually starts (so players don’t cheat).
• Health vs. Knockdown: How to keep a target alive for rapid-fire drills or let it fall down for a "one-hit kill" challenge.

How It Works

Think of the Target Dummy Track as a rollercoaster car that’s also a punching bag. It sits on a rail (the track), moves back and forth, and takes hits. But here’s the kicker: it’s not just a prop. It’s a smart device that can tell other devices, "Hey, I just got shot!" or "I’m ready to move!"

The "Channel" Concept (Your Walkie-Talkie)

In Fortnite Creative, devices don’t see each other. They can’t look across the map and say, "Hey, you there!" Instead, they shout into specific Channels.

• Imagine Channel 1 is the "Start Game" frequency.
• Imagine Channel 5 is the "I Got Hit" frequency.
• Imagine Channel 10 is the "Add Score" frequency.

When you wire a Trigger to a Target Dummy Track, you’re essentially tuning their walkie-talkies so they speak the same language.

The Three States of a Target

1. Dormant (Down): The target is lying flat. It looks like a pile of loot, but it’s actually inactive. This is crucial for preventing players from shooting it before the timer starts.
2. Active (Up/Moving): The target is standing up and moving along the rail. It can be hit.
3. Knocked Down (Reset): If the target has finite health, it falls over when destroyed. You can wire this state to reset the game or give a "Game Over" signal.

Why Use a Track Instead of a Regular Dummy?

A regular Target Dummy is like a stationary sniper range. It’s great for aiming practice. But the Target Dummy Track adds the timing element. Now you have to lead your shots, predict movement, and react fast. It turns "clicking heads" into an actual skill-based mini-game.

Let's Build It

We are going to build a Rapid-Fire Reaction Range.

• The Goal: Hit the target as many times as possible in 10 seconds.
• The Twist: The target moves back and forth. If you miss, it keeps going. If you hit, it flashes (optional, but cool) and adds to your score.
• The Tech: We’ll use a Target Dummy Track, a Score Manager, a Timer, and a Trigger.

Step 1: The Stage

1. Place a Target Dummy Track in your island.
2. Place a Target Dummy Track Rail under it (or let the editor auto-place it). Make the rail long enough that the target has room to move but not so long that it’s boring.
3. Place a Score Manager somewhere visible (like on a wall or a floating panel). Set its Display Mode to "Text" so players can see the number.
4. Place a Timer device. Set it to 10 Seconds.
5. Place a Trigger (a big invisible box or a visible button) where the player will stand.

Step 2: Wiring the "Start" Sequence

We need the target to stay down until the player hits the button.

1. Select the Trigger.
2. In the On Activate slot (this is an Event—a moment when something happens, like "When the bus lands"), connect it to the Target Dummy Track.
3. On the Target Dummy Track, look for the Pop-Up When Receiving From slot. Connect it to the Trigger’s On Activate.
   • What this does: When the player steps on the trigger, the target stands up.
4. Also connect the Trigger’s On Activate to the Timer.
5. On the Timer, look for Start When Receiving From. Connect it to the Trigger.
   • What this does: The countdown begins the moment the player starts.

Step 3: Tracking Hits (The Score)

Now, we need to count the hits.

1. Select the Target Dummy Track.
2. Look for When Hit Transmit On. This is a Channel (a specific frequency). Let’s set this to Channel 5.
3. Select the Score Manager.
4. Look for Add When Receiving From. Connect it to Channel 5.
   • What this does: Every time the target is hit, it shouts on Channel 5. The Score Manager hears it and adds +1 to the total.

Step 4: The "Infinite Health" Trick

By default, if you hit the target enough times, it will knock down and stop moving. For a rapid-fire range, we probably want it to keep moving until the timer runs out.

1. Select the Target Dummy Track.
2. Find Health. Set it to Infinite.
3. Find Show Health Bar. Set it to No (unless you want a visual indicator of how many hits it can take).
   • Why? If you set Health to Finite, the target dies. If you want a "One Hit Kill" challenge, set Health to 1 and wire the When Knocked Down Transmit On channel to a "Game Over" sound or a reset trigger.

Step 5: The Reset (Optional but Pro)

If the player finishes, they might want to try again immediately.

1. Select the Timer.
2. Find On Complete Transmit On. Set this to Channel 10.
3. Select the Target Dummy Track.
4. Find Reset When Receiving From. Connect it to Channel 10.
   • What this does: When the timer hits 0:00, it shouts on Channel 10. The target hears it and resets to its starting position (down), ready for the next round.

The Code-Free Magic

You just built a game loop without writing a single line of Verse.

1. Trigger starts the Timer and pops up the Target.
2. Target moves and waits for shots.
3. Target hits shout on Channel 5.
4. Score Manager hears Channel 5 and adds points.
5. Timer finishes, shouts on Channel 10.
6. Target resets.

Try It Yourself

Now that you have the basics, try to break the rules (in a good way):

Challenge: Make a "Boss Battle" version.

• Hint: Instead of Infinite Health, set the Target Dummy Track’s Health to 50.
• Hint: Wire the When Knocked Down Transmit On channel to a Sound Player that plays a "Victory" fanfare.
• Hint: Add a Weapon Spawner that only gives the player a shotgun (for close-range chaos) when the target pops up.

Don’t just copy-paste! Try to figure out which slot on the Target Dummy Track sends the "I’m dead" signal. It’s usually named something obvious once you know what to look for.

Recap

• Target Dummy Track = Moving target. Great for reaction-time games.
• Channels = Walkie-talkie frequencies. Devices talk through these, not by looking at each other.
• Pop-Up = Keeps the target hidden until the game starts. Essential for fair play.
• Health = Infinite for rapid-fire drills, Finite for "destroy the boss" challenges.

You’ve just moved from "placing props" to "building systems." Next time, we’ll look at how to use Verse code to make the target move in custom patterns, not just back-and-forth. But for now, go make your friends miss every shot.

References

• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/using-target-dummy-track-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite-creative/using-target-dummy-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/using-target-dummy-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/using-devices-in-fortnite
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite-creative/shooting-gallery-in-fortnite-creative