air_vent_device: Launch Players Into the Air on Command

Overview

The air_vent_device is a Creative device that applies an upward boost to any agent, vehicle, or physics object that enters its area. Out of the box it works as a static launch pad, but wiring it to Verse unlocks three superpowers:

• Enable / Disable — toggle whether the vent can be triggered at all (great for timed hazards or locked zones).
• Activate — fire the vent's boost right now, regardless of whether a player is standing on it (useful for scripted sequences or remote triggers).

Reach for air_vent_device when you need launch pads that react to game events: a vault that ejects intruders, a timed gauntlet that alternates which vents are live, or a cinematic moment where the floor launches the player into the sky.

API Reference

air_vent_device

Used to boost agents, vehicles, and other objects upwards into the air.

Full public surface, resolved verbatim from the live Epic digest (Fortnite.digest.verse).

air_vent_device<public> := class<concrete><final>(creative_device_base):

Methods (call these to make the device act):

Method	Signature	Description
Enable	Enable<public>():void	Enables this device.
Disable	Disable<public>():void	Disables this device.
Activate	Activate<public>():void	Activates this device.

Walkthrough

Scenario: A timed gauntlet room. When the round starts, all vents are disabled. A countdown timer (simulated with Sleep) enables the vents one by one. When a player steps on a trigger_device marked "Escape", the escape vent fires immediately via Activate and all other vents shut off.

using { /Fortnite.com/Devices }
using { /Verse.org/Simulation }

# Place this device in your level and wire up the @editable fields in the Details panel.
gauntlet_vent_controller := class(creative_device):

    # The main launch vent in the centre of the room — starts disabled.
    @editable
    CentreVent : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    # A side vent that activates after a delay.
    @editable
    SideVent : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    # The escape vent — fires on demand when the player hits the escape trigger.
    @editable
    EscapeVent : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    # A trigger the player steps on to call the escape sequence.
    @editable
    EscapeTrigger : trigger_device = trigger_device{}

    OnBegin<override>()<suspends> : void =
        # 1. Disable all vents at round start so the room is safe to enter.
        CentreVent.Disable()
        SideVent.Disable()
        EscapeVent.Disable()

        # 2. Subscribe to the escape trigger BEFORE the countdown starts
        #    so we never miss the event.
        EscapeTrigger.TriggeredEvent.Subscribe(OnEscapeTriggered)

        # 3. After 5 seconds, enable the centre vent — the gauntlet begins.
        Sleep(5.0)
        CentreVent.Enable()

        # 4. Three seconds later, the side vent joins the chaos.
        Sleep(3.0)
        SideVent.Enable()

        # 5. Keep the gauntlet running for another 10 seconds, then reset.
        Sleep(10.0)
        CentreVent.Disable()
        SideVent.Disable()

    # Called when the player steps on the escape trigger plate.
    # trigger_device.TriggeredEvent sends ?agent, so we accept that type.
    OnEscapeTriggered(Agent : ?agent) : void =
        # Shut down the hazard vents immediately.
        CentreVent.Disable()
        SideVent.Disable()

        # Enable the escape vent, then fire it right now.
        EscapeVent.Enable()
        EscapeVent.Activate()   # Launches the player even if they aren't standing on it yet.

Line-by-line breakdown:

Lines	What's happening
@editable fields	Exposes each air_vent_device (and the trigger) to the UEFN Details panel so you can drag-assign placed devices without touching code.
CentreVent.Disable() × 3	Ensures all vents are inert when the round begins — no accidental launches during setup.
EscapeTrigger.TriggeredEvent.Subscribe(OnEscapeTriggered)	Registers the handler before the Sleep calls so no trigger event is missed during the countdown.
Sleep(5.0)	Suspends execution for 5 real seconds — OnBegin must carry <suspends> for this to compile.
CentreVent.Enable()	Turns the centre vent on; players who walk over it will now be launched.
EscapeVent.Activate()	Fires the vent's boost immediately — this is the key difference from Enable: Activate triggers the launch right now rather than waiting for a player to step on it.

Common patterns

Pattern 1 — Toggling a vent with a button

A simple on/off switch: one button enables the vent, another disables it. Great for puzzle rooms where players control their own launch pad.

using { /Fortnite.com/Devices }
using { /Verse.org/Simulation }

vent_toggle_device := class(creative_device):

    @editable
    LaunchVent : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    @editable
    EnableButton : button_device = button_device{}

    @editable
    DisableButton : button_device = button_device{}

    OnBegin<override>()<suspends> : void =
        # Vent starts disabled — players must press the button to arm it.
        LaunchVent.Disable()

        EnableButton.InteractedWithEvent.Subscribe(OnEnablePressed)
        DisableButton.InteractedWithEvent.Subscribe(OnDisablePressed)

    OnEnablePressed(Agent : agent) : void =
        LaunchVent.Enable()

    OnDisablePressed(Agent : agent) : void =
        LaunchVent.Disable()

Key point: Enable and Disable are plain void calls with no effects — call them freely from any handler without <suspends>.

---

Pattern 2 — Scripted launch sequence (Activate)

A cinematic moment: after a boss is defeated, the floor vents fire in a wave to launch all players into the victory arena. Activate fires each vent in sequence with a short delay between them.

using { /Fortnite.com/Devices }
using { /Verse.org/Simulation }

boss_defeat_launcher := class(creative_device):

    @editable
    BossDefeatTrigger : trigger_device = trigger_device{}

    @editable
    VentA : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    @editable
    VentB : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    @editable
    VentC : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    OnBegin<override>()<suspends> : void =
        BossDefeatTrigger.TriggeredEvent.Subscribe(OnBossDefeated)

    OnBossDefeated(Agent : ?agent) : void =
        # Spawn an async task so the handler returns immediately
        # while the wave sequence runs in the background.
        spawn { RunLaunchWave() }

    RunLaunchWave()<suspends> : void =
        # Enable all vents first so Activate has something to fire.
        VentA.Enable()
        VentA.Activate()
        Sleep(0.4)
        VentB.Enable()
        VentB.Activate()
        Sleep(0.4)
        VentC.Enable()
        VentC.Activate()

Key point: Event handlers cannot be <suspends>, so use spawn { } to run any async wave logic without blocking the event system.

---

Pattern 3 — Alternating hazard vents

Two vents take turns being active — classic platformer obstacle. Players must time their crossing.

using { /Fortnite.com/Devices }
using { /Verse.org/Simulation }

alternating_vents_device := class(creative_device):

    @editable
    VentLeft : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    @editable
    VentRight : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}

    # How long each vent stays active, in seconds.
    @editable
    ActiveDuration : float = 2.5

    OnBegin<override>()<suspends> : void =
        # Start with both off.
        VentLeft.Disable()
        VentRight.Disable()

        # Alternate forever.
        loop:
            VentLeft.Enable()
            VentRight.Disable()
            Sleep(ActiveDuration)

            VentLeft.Disable()
            VentRight.Enable()
            Sleep(ActiveDuration)

Key point: loop with Sleep is the idiomatic Verse pattern for repeating timed behaviour. Because OnBegin is <suspends>, the Sleep calls work without any extra setup.

Gotchas

1. Always declare devices as @editable fields

You cannot write air_vent_device{}.Enable() inline — that creates a new default instance, not the one you placed in your level. Every device reference must be an @editable field assigned in the UEFN Details panel.

# ❌ Wrong — operates on a throwaway instance, does nothing in-game
air_vent_device{}.Enable()

# ✅ Correct — operates on the placed device
@editable
MyVent : air_vent_device = air_vent_device{}
# ... then call MyVent.Enable()

2. Activate ≠ Enable

• Enable arms the vent so it launches objects that enter its area.
• Activate fires the boost immediately — but the vent must already be enabled for the launch to work on players standing on it. When using Activate for scripted sequences, call Enable first.
• A disabled vent that receives Activate may not launch players — always pair them.

3. Event handlers cannot <suspends>

If you need Sleep inside an event handler (e.g., OnEscapeTriggered), you must spawn a separate async function:

# ❌ Won't compile — handlers can't suspend
OnEscapeTriggered(Agent : ?agent)<suspends> : void =
    Sleep(1.0)
    EscapeVent.Activate()

# ✅ Correct — spawn an async coroutine
OnEscapeTriggered(Agent : ?agent) : void =
    spawn { DelayedActivate() }

DelayedActivate()<suspends> : void =
    Sleep(1.0)
    EscapeVent.Activate()

4. trigger_device.TriggeredEvent sends ?agent, not agent

The event payload is an optional agent. If your handler receives ?agent and you need to act on the specific player, unwrap it first:

OnTriggered(MaybeAgent : ?agent) : void =
    if (A := MaybeAgent?):
        # A is a confirmed agent here
        Print("Agent triggered the vent")

5. Disable does not reset mid-air players

Calling Disable stops the vent from launching future entrants. Any player already mid-air from a previous launch is unaffected — physics takes over once they leave the vent's influence area.