{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-01","type":"mechanic","id":"phone-magnetometer--family-01","lang":"en","title":"Phone heading","summary":"Phone heading can control an aim direction, sector or route. Magnetic and geographic north require different corrections.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-01/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-01.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-01.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Phone magnetometer interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-603978442e60360e"],"sources":[{"id":"source-603978442e60360e","title":"Physics Toolbox Magnetometer","url":"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/physics-toolbox-magnetometer/id1003749103?uo=4","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The azimuth of the phone relative to the magnetic landmark is converted into the direction of the sight, the choice of sector or route."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-01-variants\"></a>\n\n- Aiming by direction. Action: Rotate the phone; azimuth sets the horizontal angle of the sight. Application: Artillery, search for constellations, audio shooting range around the player. Limitations: A tilt is required for the vertical sight; The accuracy of the compass depends on the environment. Equipment: Phone without external magnet. Preparation: Easy start. Type: Input method. <a id=\"variant-m001\"></a>\n- Radial menu. Action: Point the phone at one of the corner sectors; sector selects a command. Application: Select a spell, answer, tool without touching the screen. Limitations: Need wide sectors and switching delay at the boundaries. Equipment: Phone without an external magnet. Preparation: Easy start. Type: Input method. <a id=\"variant-m002\"></a>\n- The world according to the cardinal points. Action: In each direction, open a different layer or area of ​​the world. Application: Four kingdoms, orientation, spatial audio history. Limitations: Content related to azimuth, not real location. Equipment: Phone without external magnet. Preparation: Easy start. Type: Game rule. <a id=\"variant-m003\"></a>\n- Combining directions. Action: Align azimuth with a given angle within tolerance. Application: Antenna alignment, door lock, beam reflection. Limitations: Add tolerance and explicit confirmation of hit. Equipment: Phone without external magnet. Preparation: Easy start. Type: Game rule. <a id=\"variant-m004\"></a>\n- Forbidden sector. Action: Consider the phone entering a dangerous sector as an error. Application: Do not look at the monster, do not direct the beam at the guard. Limitations: Use tolerance and reaction time so that the noise does not punish the player. Equipment: Phone without an external magnet. Preparation: Easy start. Type: Game rule. <a id=\"variant-m005\"></a>\n- 360 degree view. Action: Rotating the phone reveals parts of the panorama and ambient sound. Application: Panoramic quest, searching for objects, musical layers around the player. Limitations: The compass sets the world azimuth; smoothness is usually ensured by a gyroscope. Equipment: Phone without an external magnet. Preparation: Needs setup. Type: Input method. <a id=\"variant-m006\"></a>\n- Relative zero. Action: Save current direction; subsequent angles are considered relative to it. Application: Controlling the turret from a comfortable position, menu relative to the chair. Limitations: If north is not needed, a gyroscope is often preferable to a magnetometer. Equipment: Telephone without an external magnet. Preparation: Easy start. Type: Input method. <a id=\"variant-m007\"></a>\n- Return to direction. Action: Show the direction, hide the hint and ask to restore it. Application: Spatial memory training, landmark puzzle. Limitations: Estimate angular error with a tolerance, rather than requiring an exact match. Equipment: Phone without external magnet. Preparation: Easy start. Type: Game rule. <a id=\"variant-m008\"></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-magnetometer","id":"family-01","title":"Phone magnetometer interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-magnetometer/#family-01","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Phone heading","description":"Phone heading can control an aim direction, sector or route. Magnetic and geographic north require different corrections.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/sensor-physics-magnet-2.webp","width":665,"height":1440,"crop":{"x":51,"y":323,"width":563,"height":1034},"game":"Physics Toolbox Magnetometer","sourceUrl":"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/physics-toolbox-magnetometer/id1003749103?uo=4","originalUrl":"https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/PurpleSource211/v4/a9/58/b1/a958b1b9-4cea-7513-75d5-8e6283b73916/03-find-north.png/720x1560bb.jpg","credit":"Chrystian Vieyra","rights":"© Chrystian Vieyra. Developer-distributed App Store screenshot. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Physics Toolbox: a Magnetic / True compass with True selected","alt":"Physics Toolbox: a Magnetic / True compass with True selected","markers":[{"x":50,"y":38,"label":"317°: heading in the selected true-north mode"}]},"tips":["Account for tilt, calibration and interference when estimating heading."],"examples":[{"title":"Physics Toolbox Magnetometer","url":"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/physics-toolbox-magnetometer/id1003749103?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-magnetometer"}}