{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-feedback","type":"mechanic","id":"phone-flashlight--family-feedback","lang":"en","title":"Feedback, storytelling and atmosphere","summary":"The LED becomes an output channel for events or atmosphere. phyphox shows pulse control; narrative mappings must be designed separately.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-feedback/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-feedback.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-flashlight--family-feedback.md","aliases":["Light feedback and atmosphere"],"tags":["Phone flashlight interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-bdbe910fe2426deb"],"sources":[{"id":"source-bdbe910fe2426deb","title":"phyphox","url":"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The flashlight becomes an output channel of the application, and not just a tool for the player."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-feedback-variants\"></a>\n\n- Event confirmation. Action: After the action, briefly turn on the light or change its level. Application: Successful scanning, start of the stage, confirmation of the command. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application. Conditions: Text, sound or vibration are also needed for the player looking at the screen. <a id=\"variant-101\"></a>\n- Light timer. Action: Change light state as time approaches. Application: Round boundary, player turn, in-app reminder. Requirements: Rear LED and app control. Conditions: Do not expect continuous background work without checking platform conditions. <a id=\"variant-102\"></a>\n- Conditional indicator of proximity. Action: Change the light pattern when approaching the game target. Application: “Hot-cold”, search for a virtual object. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Software game rule. Conditions: Distance is taken from the game, tags, geolocation or tracking; LED doesn't measure it. <a id=\"variant-103\"></a>\n- Device mode. Action: Assign game values ​​to different stable states of light. Application: Instrument readiness, alarm, safe zone. Requirements: Rear LED and app control; Software game rule. Conditions: White LED has a limited number of distinguishable states; don't overload the code. <a id=\"variant-104\"></a>\n- Light in the rhythm of sound. Action: Accompany audio events by turning on or changing brightness. Application: Music installation, plot replica of the device. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Microphone for external sound; Support brightness adjustment. Conditions: You don’t need a microphone for your music; for external, sound and delay analysis is required. <a id=\"variant-105\"></a>\n- Plot glitch. Action: Turn off or dim the light at the intended moment. Application: Dramatic pause, loss of connection, appearance of a threat. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Software game rule. Conditions: Provide a flicker-free version; Do not substitute this for a system warning. <a id=\"variant-106\"></a>\n- Light replica of the character. Action: The character responds with the duration or pattern of switching on. Application: Robot companion, silent creature, talking through signals. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Software game rule. Conditions: Answers are interpreted as conventional language, which must first be taught to read. <a id=\"variant-107\"></a>\n- Lighting the real environment around the scene. Action: Change the light in the room synchronously with the game. Application: Thunderstorm without fast flashes, searching in the dark, scene inspection. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Software game rule. Conditions: One telephone provides local light; The magnitude of the effect depends on the room. <a id=\"variant-108\"></a>\n- Reproduction of someone else's action. Action: Show transmitted partner commands or recordings with a flashlight. Application: Asynchronous trace, “echo” of the researcher, light score. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Multiple devices/participants; sometimes an observer is enough; Software game rule. Conditions: A distinction must be made between live network input and a pre-recorded sequence. <a id=\"variant-109\"></a>\n- Channel coordination. Action: Duplicate light with sound, vibration, text or a large indicator. Application: Clear interface for different visual and hearing conditions. Requirements: Rear LED and control from the application; Software game rule. Conditions: The equivalent channel must preserve the meaning and time window of action. <a id=\"variant-110\"></a>"},{"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":"phone-flashlight","id":"family-feedback","title":"Phone flashlight interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-flashlight/#family-feedback","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Light feedback and atmosphere","description":"The LED becomes an output channel for events or atmosphere. phyphox shows pulse control; narrative mappings must be designed separately.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/sensor-phyphox-4.webp","width":663,"height":1440,"crop":{"x":0,"y":92,"width":663,"height":970},"game":"phyphox","sourceUrl":"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4","originalUrl":"https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/PurpleSource221/v4/3e/83/1f/3e831fc9-b4dc-57f8-fad4-b2fd5cd5243c/iphone-05-strobe.png/720x1560bb.jpg","credit":"RWTH Aachen University","rights":"© RWTH Aachen University. Developer-distributed App Store screenshot. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"phyphox: LED brightness, frequency and pulse duration","alt":"phyphox: LED brightness, frequency and pulse duration","markers":[{"x":64,"y":16,"label":"Brightness and frequency control the phone’s physical flashlight"}]},"tips":["Pair light feedback with another channel and allow flashes to be disabled."],"examples":[{"title":"phyphox","url":"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4"}]}},"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/phone-flashlight"}}