- Course to Venus vent route: Advance until the ship-search quest makes the vent investigation available.
- Required item: Search the black lunch box in the refrigerator at night to find the vent key.
- Unlock trigger: Tap the vent during the correct quest before checking the refrigerator again.
- Night investigation: Use Amy’s motion sensor in every ship room when the story requires a search.
- Stuck solution: Progress other quests if the black lunch box or vent interaction has not appeared.
Course to Venus how to open vent
The vent is tied to story progression rather than a normal exploration shortcut. If the interaction only produces a standard message, the required quest flag has probably not been activated yet. Continue the ship investigation until the Captain comments on opening the vent. After that conversation, the black lunch box becomes available in the refrigerator at night.
The most reliable order is:
- Progress the main story until the ship-search objective appears.
- Tap the vent during that objective.
- Return to the refrigerator at night.
- Inspect the black lunch box and collect the vent key.
- Use the key on the vent.
| Stage | What to do | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| Story setup | Continue the ship investigation | The vent becomes part of the objective |
| Vent check | Tap the vent during the quest | The Captain considers how to open it |
| Night search | Visit the refrigerator at night | The black lunch box can appear |
| Key search | Inspect the black lunch box | The vent key is obtained |
| Final interaction | Return to the vent | The locked vent can be opened |
Before the Quest
Keep advancing the story. A normal vent message usually means the ship-search objective is not active yet.
During the Quest
Tap the vent first. This interaction helps trigger the next investigation step and changes what can appear in the refrigerator.
At Night
Check the refrigerator and inspect the black lunch box. This is where the vent key is found once the story flag is active.
Do not repeatedly click the vent before starting the ship-search quest. Advance the story, activate the vent investigation, then check the refrigerator at night.
Step-by-Step Vent Key Walkthrough
Advance the Main Story
Complete available objectives until the game gives you a reason to search the ship. If you have only received the standard vent message, keep progressing through other conversations and quests.
Trigger the Vent Investigation
During the ship-search quest, tap the vent. The Captain should begin wondering how it can be opened. This is the important progression trigger.
Search the Refrigerator at Night
Wait until the nighttime schedule is active, then inspect the refrigerator. The black lunch box should now be available if the story has advanced far enough.
Inspect the Black Lunch Box
Open the black lunch box and collect the vent key. If the item is not present, return to story progression instead of repeating the same interaction.
Unlock the Vent
Go back to the vent and use the key. If the game still shows the normal response, verify that you completed the vent interaction during the correct quest.
The key is not presented as an ordinary item at the beginning of the investigation. The game first needs to recognize that the Captain is actively searching the ship. That is why checking the refrigerator too early can make the objective appear broken.
| Action order | Correct location or condition | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Main story progression | Searching the refrigerator before the quest |
| 2 | Vent during ship-search quest | Checking the vent only outside the objective |
| 3 | Refrigerator at night | Looking during the daytime schedule |
| 4 | Black lunch box | Expecting the key to appear elsewhere |
| 5 | Vent after obtaining the key | Repeating earlier steps without checking the quest state |
Finding the refrigerator without first activating the vent investigation may not reveal the black lunch box. The quest sequence matters.
If the Black Lunch Box Does Not Appear
The missing lunch box is usually a progression issue, not a missing-location issue. The creator’s Course to Venus comment thread points to the same sequence: advance until the ship-search quest is active, interact with the vent, and then search the refrigerator at night.
Use the following checks in order:
Check Story Progress
Make sure the ship-search quest has started. If it has not, complete other available objectives first.
Check the Time
Search the refrigerator at night. The black lunch box is connected to the nighttime investigation sequence.
Check the Vent
Return to the vent during the active quest and tap it before searching again.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Recommended fix |
|---|---|---|
| Standard vent message | Quest not active | Continue the main story |
| No black lunch box | Vent trigger not completed | Tap the vent during the ship search |
| Refrigerator has no key item | Wrong time or incomplete flag | Check again at night after the vent interaction |
| Motion sensor objective remains | Ship search is incomplete | Use the sensor in every room |
| Progress stops after early tasks | Another quest is required | Unlock more story areas and conversations |
If the game asks you to investigate the ship at night, use the motion sensor provided by Amy. Check every room rather than stopping after one detection. This search can be necessary before the vent-related sequence advances.
When the motion sensor objective is active, visit every room on the ship at night. A partial search may leave the story waiting for another clue.
Troubleshooting the Vent Quest
A few progression blockers can make the vent objective feel unclear. The key distinction is whether the game has acknowledged the investigation. If the Captain has not commented on opening the vent, the refrigerator search is probably premature.
Vent Progress Checklist:
- Advance the story until the ship-search quest appears
- Tap the vent during the active investigation
- Search the refrigerator at night
- Inspect the black lunch box for the vent key
- Use the motion sensor in every ship room if requested
Use this diagnostic table before restarting the sequence:
| Question | If the answer is no | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Has the ship-search quest started? | The story is not ready | Complete other available quests |
| Did you tap the vent during that quest? | The trigger may be inactive | Return to the vent during the objective |
| Are you checking at night? | The item may be hidden | Wait for the nighttime schedule |
| Did you inspect the black lunch box? | The key has not been collected | Search the refrigerator again |
| Did you search every room with the sensor? | The investigation may be incomplete | Visit every ship room |
Avoid changing several variables at once. The clearest method is to complete the current objective, check the vent, move to the refrigerator at night, and then retry the interaction. This makes it easier to identify which story flag has not advanced.
If you are stuck, return to the main quest list, finish any newly available objective, then repeat the vent check during the ship investigation.
What to Do After Opening the Vent
Opening the vent is part of a wider investigation chain, so do not assume the key is the final objective. Continue following the active quest text and inspect newly available areas or interactions. If the game directs you toward another nighttime search, use the motion sensor and revisit the ship systematically.
A practical post-unlock routine is:
- Recheck the active quest objective.
- Visit the vent and confirm that the lock interaction has changed.
- Search nearby areas for newly enabled clues.
- Use the motion sensor if the investigation asks for it.
- Complete other character or story quests if no new vent prompt appears.
| After unlocking | Why it matters | Player action |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm the vent state | Verifies the key was used correctly | Interact with the vent again |
| Read the current objective | Reveals the next progression target | Open the quest or dialogue prompt |
| Search at night | Some investigation events use schedules | Use the motion sensor when requested |
| Visit all rooms | Prevents missed search points | Check the full ship |
| Resume other quests | Story flags may depend on parallel progress | Complete available objectives |
The vent sequence can also overlap with other investigation content. If a character conversation, lounge objective, or clue hunt is available, complete it rather than waiting at the vent indefinitely. The game’s progression often expects players to move between story threads.
After unlocking the vent, follow the active objective instead of repeatedly returning to the same location. New investigation steps may depend on another quest or nighttime event.
Q: How do I open the vent in Course to Venus?
Advance until the ship-search quest is active, tap the vent during that quest, then search the refrigerator at night. Open the black lunch box to obtain the vent key and use it on the vent.
Q: Where is the vent key located?
The vent key is found in the black lunch box inside the refrigerator at night, but only after the vent investigation has been triggered through the story.
Q: Why is the black lunch box missing from the refrigerator?
You may not have progressed far enough, activated the ship-search quest, or tapped the vent during the correct objective. Continue the story and retry the sequence at night.
Q: What should I do if the vent still shows the standard message?
Check the quest state, complete more story objectives, and use the motion sensor in every ship room if requested. The vent key sequence may not be active yet.