{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/mouse--family-paths","type":"mechanic","id":"mouse--family-paths","lang":"en","title":"Drawing and Path Shaping","summary":"Rules consider the cursor’s path, shape, direction and sequence. Identical endpoints may lead to different results.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/mouse--family-paths/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/mouse--family-paths.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/mouse--family-paths.md","aliases":["Mouse paths and gestures"],"tags":["Mouse interactions","Applied Mechanics"],"sourceIds":["source-872a30e434db6d16"],"sources":[{"id":"source-872a30e434db6d16","title":"Duolingo","url":"https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-101-how-to-learn-a-language-on-duolingo/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The path traveled becomes significant, not just the final position of the pointer."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n\n\n- Free stroke. Action: Move with the mouse with the tool active. Application: Drawing, signing, marking a map, creating a trail. Conditions: Anti-aliasing should not unduly change the intended shape. \n- Broken by clicks. Action: Define vertices by successive clicks, then complete. Application: Route, contour, wire, wall. Conditions: Requires deletion of the last point and explicit completion. \n- Outlining the sample. Action: Repeat a given contour or line. Application: Calligraphy, teaching gesture, ritual, precision cutting. Conditions: Evaluate path tolerance separately from speed. \n- Directional mouse swipe. Action: Swipe quickly in a given direction, usually with a button. Application: Slash, dodge, flip, gesture command. Conditions: Direction, distance and speed are different thresholds. \n- Roundabout Circulation. Action: Perform a revolution or arc around the center. Application: Twist the handle, stir, wind, accumulate rotation. Conditions: Count the angle, not just the length of the path. \n- Back and forth movement. Action: Repeat back-and-forth movements. Application: Sawing, rubbing, sharpening, fanning the fire. Conditions: Take into account the amplitude and turns, and not random noise. \n- Shaking. Action: Make several quick changes of direction. Application: Shake off the effect, release the object, mix the contents. Conditions: High sensitivity can turn the shaking into a false gesture. \n- Character recognition. Action: Draw a recognizable shape in its entirety. Application: Runes, spells, symbols, handwriting recognition. Conditions: Training, approvals and analysis of the unrecognized result are required. \n- Gesture marking menu. Action: From the reference point, execute a short trajectory in the desired direction. Application: Quick command from memory, selecting a tool without searching for an item. Conditions: A visible menu option is desirable for beginners. \n- Intersection cut. Action: Draw a line through a target or several targets. Application: Cut a rope, cut objects, break a connection in a graph. Conditions: Check the intersection of the entire path segment, and not rare event points. \n- Painting over or erasing an area. Action: Cover the surface with passes of the brush. Application: Coloring, cleaning dirt, removing a layer, developing a secret image. Conditions: Consider the coverage area, and not just the length of the movement. \n- Closing a loop. Action: Draw an area and return to the starting area. Application: Capture an area, mark a zone, create a loop or seal. Conditions: Set the closure tolerance and self-intersection rules. "},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"mouse","id":"family-paths","title":"Mouse interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/mouse/#family-paths","categoryIds":["section-2"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Mouse paths and gestures","description":"Rules consider the cursor’s path, shape, direction and sequence. Identical endpoints may lead to different results.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/learning-duo-101-12.webp","width":665,"height":1440,"game":"Duolingo","sourceUrl":"https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-101-how-to-learn-a-language-on-duolingo/","originalUrl":"https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/content.duolingo.com/Duolingo+101%3A+How+to+learn+a+language+on+Duolingo/14-characterBingo.png","credit":"Duolingo","rights":"© Duolingo. All rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Duolingo: a guide for the missing stroke","alt":"Duolingo: a guide for the missing stroke","markers":[{"x":48,"y":45,"label":"The arrow shows the stroke direction"}]},"tips":["Show the path taken and the allowed deviation from the model."],"examples":[{"title":"Duolingo","url":"https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-101-how-to-learn-a-language-on-duolingo/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/mouse"}}