Alto's Adventure Among the First iOS Games to Support Haptic Feedback

[AngerDanger]

I don’t see what the fuss is about. Android has had haptic feedback for many years and what Apple does is not that much better, even though the ’Taptic Engine’ is a decent piece of technology. A vibrating phone doesn’t enhance my sensation of the touch screen or the home button when it’s still only coming from one motor. It won’t give you the kind of feedback that a screen will give to you when you press a virtual button or the feeling of pressing an actual home button. The phone as a whole just... vibrates.

I didn't think I was doing much fussing; if anything, my post seems slightly underwhelmed. I've seen demos of haptic feedback on touchscreen devices where the users react as if they can feel different textures and have since thought that kind of tech would be awesome in phones where tactile feedback is lacking. I don't actually think Apple is there yet at all.

 

[miketcool]

I like the Taptic Engine over the phone's vibration. The point is to make it seem like there is a physical feedback to the screen where you are touching. It's the difference between vibrating everywhere or feeling like the phone vibrating specifically where you are touching the phone to give you a texture. It'll become more important as it helps create new ways to gesture or receive feedback.

Currently, it's live inside the Pro Camera app and gives me feedback on minor adjustments without vibrating the phone in a way that shakes the camera.

 

[stiligFox]

Without reading all the comments (I'm on mobile), how is this much different from games in the old days that used the vibration motor for crashes in racing games/being injured in FPS games/etc? I recall a lot of early iPhone OS games utilizing the vibration motor but it seemed to fall out of favor. But to me it seems like a light pulse of the motor would have the same impact as the Taptic Engine. Or does it feel completely different?

 

[miketcool]

Without reading all the comments (I'm on mobile), how is this much different from games in the old days that used the vibration motor for crashes in racing games/being injured in FPS games/etc? I recall a lot of early iPhone OS games utilizing the vibration motor but it seemed to fall out of favor. But to me it seems like a light pulse of the motor would have the same impact as the Taptic Engine. Or does it feel completely different?

It's the difference between shaking and feeling a texture on a smooth surface. It gives touching and tapping depth vs. shaking while something is happening.

 

[alexmarchuk]

http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/compare/

Failed to answer the question. What is the diffeeence between the 6S and 7 in regards to 3D Touch?

Wouldn't the iPhone 6S be just as capable of doing this "feature" as the 7 can. Apple just gimped the previous iPhone ahead of time.

 

[stiligFox]

It's the difference between shaking and feeling a texture on a smooth surface. It gives touching and tapping depth vs. shaking while something is happening.

Cool, thank you!

 

[smacrumon]

Hello, battery drain!

Beautiful graphics.

 

[twocents]

Honestly, is that huge Taptic Engine worth the internal space inside the iOS devices?

Especially in the Apple Watch, it's almost as big as the battery.

I'd say definitely yes in that it blurs the line between hardware and software and truly makes the iPhone and Watch experience more lively. There's so much potential there

 

[nutmac]

Just tried it....meh, the vibrations were so minor its hardly noticeable

That's what I like about it. With traditional games, vibration is too in your face. In Alto's Adventure, it's more of a light tap, giving a good tactile feedback without distracting from the game play.

 

[fjarl]

I must say that the haptics of the iPhone 7 was something that surprised me; I really like the system haptics. It's a minor thing, and hardly touted in reviews, but it's very nice in practice. The whole phone feels more... tactile.

 

[840quadra]

I must say that the haptics of the iPhone 7 was something that surprised me; I really like the system haptics. It's a minor thing, and hardly touted in reviews, but it's very nice in practice. The whole phone feels more... tactile.

It is interesting how much more tactile iOS 10 feels in the 7 as compared to even the 6s. That said, 7 am disappointed with how little it is used in the 6s considering it also has haptic feedback.

 

[rocknblogger]

Honestly, the jack had to die eventually. Apple just sped that up. I, for one, am super excited about the world of wireless headphones. And I say this even though I own two $200+ wired headphones: AKG K7XX and a ZMF Mod of the Fostex T50RP.

It's not just the taptic engine that they can improve on. They have additional space now for future additions as well. In fact, I hope they go after the lightning port next in the 2017 iPhone. I welcome it.

With all the hype of wireless headphones and the removal of the jack I bought two pairs of BT wireless headphones and I'll be honest, it's not that big a deal. Now I have to remember to charge them every night and I for one never found the wire to be in my way. And the biggest thing to me is the wired sound better. And just for reference one of the BT earbuds I bought are the Jaybird X2.

 

[WRChris]

Honestly, is that huge Taptic Engine worth the internal space inside the iOS devices?

Especially in the Apple Watch, it's almost as big as the battery.

How would it ever be improved upon if it's never implemented in the first place. Haptic feedback is another layer of immersion so I welcome it. I doubt it will get larger in time lol but you are right it does take up a significant amount of space

 

[Born Again]

lol - haptic shamtic

remember when the gyroscope games were like "OMG THIS IS THE FUTURE!"

well they weren't

 

[SMIDG3T]

Failed to answer the question. What is the diffeeence between the 6S and 7 in regards to 3D Touch?

Wouldn't the iPhone 6S be just as capable of doing this "feature" as the 7 can. Apple just gimped the previous iPhone ahead of time.

Then you failed to ask the question.

You simply put "What's the difference between the 6S and 7 anyway?"

 

[Jimmy James]

I can think of a good use for vibr....Taptic feedback.

 

[Xanhia]

Snowman has announced that Alto's Adventure has been updated with in-game haptic feedback on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, making it one of the first-ever iOS games to support the new Taptic Engine.

Now, when playing the game, users will experience subtle vibrations when completing in-game tasks, such as collecting a wayward llama, sliding over an ice boost, or snapping a shot in Photo Mode. Even small interactions such as reaching minimum or maximum zoom are now accompanied by haptic feedback.The functionality is made possible by an expanded Taptic Engine in Apple's latest iPhones. Whereas the Taptic Engine on iPhone 6s was limited to 3D Touch and very few other system interactions, haptic feedback now has much wider iOS support, and developers are able to put the Taptic Engine to work in third-party apps.

Alto's Adventure is a beautiful endless runner in which you control a snowboarder through procedurally generated mountains and valleys, amid thunderstorms, blizzards, fog, rainbows, and shooting stars. The game features physics-based gameplay, along with fully dynamic lighting and weather effects.

Alto's Adventure is $3.99 on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone and iPad. Version 1.4.1 is available now as a free update for existing users.

Article Link: Alto's Adventure Among the First iOS Games to Support Haptic Feedback

It's ok. In my opinion Oz:Broken Kingdom makes much better use of it.

 

[1applerules1]

Honestly, is that huge Taptic Engine worth the internal space inside the iOS devices?

Especially in the Apple Watch, it's almost as big as the battery.

Yes

 

[JediZenMaster]

Taptic Engine is gonna be so awesome for folks who have certain types of disabilities and have to rely on other senses for things.

 

[nameischarles]

I would love to have taptic feedback with the keyboard to go along with the new deeper key sound.

 

[6836838]

Honestly, the jack had to die eventually. Apple just sped that up. I, for one, am super excited about the world of wireless headphones. And I say this even though I own two $200+ wired headphones: AKG K7XX and a ZMF Mod of the Fostex T50RP.

It's not just the taptic engine that they can improve on. They have additional space now for future additions as well. In fact, I hope they go after the lightning port next in the 2017 iPhone. I welcome it.

You missed bit...
[doublepost=1475197421][/doublepost]

I don’t see what the fuss is about. Android has had haptic feedback for many years and what Apple does is not that much better, even though the ’Taptic Engine’ is a decent piece of technology. A vibrating phone doesn’t enhance my sensation of the touch screen or the home button when it’s still only coming from one motor. It won’t give you the kind of feedback that a screen will give to you when you press a virtual button or the feeling of pressing an actual home button. The phone as a whole just... vibrates.

Yep vibration 2.0. Or with Apple marketing hype... Haptic feedback. lol

 

[840quadra]

lol - haptic shamtic

remember when the gyroscope games were like "OMG THIS IS THE FUTURE!"

well they weren't

Used more than you think. It greatly increases the accuracy of applications that require tilting or rotation of the phone. As a developer you don't need to specifically code for it either, it's built into core motion.

 

[ipedro]

The haptic feedback was the thing i was most excited about moving from my iPhone 6. It's great and you feel your commands instead of just observing. I wish haptic would go even deeper into the device(s) apple makes in the future. I will have to try to app and hopefully more apps follow suit.

I've resisted so far upgrading from the 6 Plus (I have a brand new one from AppleCare+) but every time I feel 3D Touch on a friend's iPhone 6s or 7, I instantly want to go buy one.

Its invaluable on the Apple Watch. Feeling directions while I'm driving is one feature that blows me away every single time.
[doublepost=1475201427][/doublepost]

I don’t see what the fuss is about. Android has had haptic feedback for many years and what Apple does is not that much better, even though the ’Taptic Engine’ is a decent piece of technology. A vibrating phone doesn’t enhance my sensation of the touch screen or the home button when it’s still only coming from one motor. It won’t give you the kind of feedback that a screen will give to you when you press a virtual button or the feeling of pressing an actual home button. The phone as a whole just... vibrates.

Yep vibration 2.0. Or with Apple marketing hype... Haptic feedback. lol

You don't know what you're talking about. The Taptic Engine doesn't "vibrate". It's a directional tap that can be customized in millions of different ways. On the AppleWatch, it feels like your arm is being nudged in the direction Maps is telling you to go. On a Magic Trackpad, the Taptic Engine is completely indistinguishable from a real click. On an iPhone, a date picker feels like a Price Is Right wheel and pulling a screen to refresh feels like an elastic band stretching at the end. It's by no means a "vibration".

 

[ErikGrim]

I don’t see what the fuss is about. Android has had haptic feedback for many years and what Apple does is not that much better, even though the ’Taptic Engine’ is a decent piece of technology. A vibrating phone doesn’t enhance my sensation of the touch screen or the home button when it’s still only coming from one motor. It won’t give you the kind of feedback that a screen will give to you when you press a virtual button or the feeling of pressing an actual home button. The phone as a whole just... vibrates.

A taptic feedback is a singular variable directional feedback. A vibration is a series of vibrations at a singular speed. Totally different.

With the taptic engine you can feel the scroll wheels click under your finger as well as which directions it goes. Similar when you are scrolling through the accent selector on the keyboard. With a virtual piano you can feel the keys, where they are and how hard you press. This is light years ahead of simple circular vibration engines.
[doublepost=1475214839][/doublepost]For the record, the taptics on Alto doesn't add much to the game other than a slight delight. Much more important is the 3D touch engagement of the wingsuit.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

How is this fundamentally different from using the phone's vibrate? I get that technologically it's a zap more so than a buzz, but from a user perspective, could I even tell the difference? Just seems like a rather boring feature. If vibration feedback truly made a game better, wouldn't they have been including that for the last however many years via vibrate?

The Taptic Engine's single oscillation feedback actually feels dramatically different than normal vibrations (you can compare it since the 6s and 7 can do both types). With the Single oscillation vibration it actually feels like the screen has a physical clickable button underneath the screen, versus normal vibrations that produces a buzzing sensation because it requires multiple oscillations.