{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/trackpad--family-01","type":"mechanic","id":"trackpad--family-01","lang":"en","title":"Pointing and control","summary":"Finger motion becomes pointer motion. macOS configures tracking speed separately from click force and multi-finger gestures.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-01/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-01.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-01.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Trackpad interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-80fb36760a664f26","source-8303b0f3aad42806","source-3b576ce1cd2451ef","source-c1dd61a434f7ff1a"],"sources":[{"id":"source-80fb36760a664f26","title":"AppKit: contacts and system gestures","url":"https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/HandlingTouchEvents/HandlingTouchEvents.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-8303b0f3aad42806","title":"W3C: Pointer Events","url":"https://www.w3.org/TR/pointerevents/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-3b576ce1cd2451ef","title":"Steam Input: Surface Modes","url":"https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/steam_controller/input_source_modes?language=english","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-c1dd61a434f7ff1a","title":"macOS Trackpad settings","url":"https://support.apple.com/en-us/102309","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The position and movement of the finger determines target selection or continuous pointer control; the application can only see the processed cursor."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-01-variants\"></a>\n\n- Relative movement. Gesture: Move your finger, moving the pointer relative to the current position. In the interface: Navigation, precise targeting of elements. In the game: Sight, adventure cursor, unit selection. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The application usually receives the already processed cursor movement, and not the millimeters of the finger path. <a id=\"variant-1\"></a>\n- Absolute positioning. Gesture: Match the position on the panel to the position in the work area. In the interface: Remote for the canvas, jump to a specific point on the map. In the game: Direct placement of a racket or marker. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The standard laptop cursor works differently. You need surface coordinates or a special driver mode. <a id=\"variant-2\"></a>\n- Speed ​​control from the center. Gesture: Deviation from a fixed center sets the direction and speed. In the interface: Continuous panoramic view or scrolling. In the game: Virtual movement stick, gas and steering wheel. Access level: Separate contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: This is a software display of coordinates; you need a center, a neutral zone and a clear way to stop... <a id=\"variant-3\"></a>\n- Floating virtual stick. Gesture: The first touch sets the center, further displacement sets the deviation. In the interface: Relative camera remote control without searching for the center of the surface. In the game: Control the character from any starting point. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The position of the finger and the beginning of the contact must be accessible to the application. <a id=\"variant-4\"></a>\n- Interception with finger rearrangement. Gesture: Raise your finger, move it and continue the relative movement. In the interface: Cross the large screen on a small panel. In the game: Continue turning the camera in several passes. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The OS does this for a regular cursor; the application does not necessarily see the tear itself. <a id=\"variant-5\"></a>\n- Touch is like grip. Gesture: Transmit movement only while there is contact; tearing off disables the channel. In the interface: Temporary adjustment without changing the value when rearranging. In the game: Camera or tool is active only when touched. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: Stopping the pointer does not prove that the finger is raised. We need a contact phase... <a id=\"variant-6\"></a>\n- Coarse and fine adjustment. Gesture: Change the coefficient of movement by modifier or explicit mode. In the interface: Fine-tuning the slider, editing, CAD. In the game: Aiming with reduced sensitivity. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The physical speed of the finger cannot be reliably restored from the cursor speed. The regime must be predictable. <a id=\"variant-7\"></a>\n- Limited to one axis. Gesture: After starting the movement, fix the horizontal or vertical. In the interface: Transfer strictly along the axis, alignment, number adjustment. In the game: Movement lane, lever, rail aiming. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: This is the application logic; An explicit indicator of the selected axis is useful. <a id=\"variant-8\"></a>\n- Linking to goals. Gesture: Move the pointer to the grid, nodes or neighboring objects. In the interface: Docking blocks, diagrams, editing. In the game: Assembling a puzzle, selecting small interactive objects. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their removal may be unknown to him. Conditions: Snap is not a sensor gesture. Too much gravity interferes with free movement. <a id=\"variant-9\"></a>\n- Select by cursor delay. Gesture: Leave the cursor on the target for a specified time. In the interface: Hint, preview, activation without clicking. In the game: Scanning an object, fixing the target with a gaze-like pointer. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: This is a screen hover. A finger hover sensor over the panel is not required or implied. <a id=\"variant-10\"></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":"trackpad","id":"family-01","title":"Trackpad interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/trackpad/#family-01","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Pointing and control","description":"Finger motion becomes pointer motion. macOS configures tracking speed separately from click force and multi-finger gestures.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/control-macos-force-touch.webp","width":1440,"height":1225,"crop":{"x":473,"y":418,"width":936,"height":687},"game":"macOS Trackpad settings","sourceUrl":"https://support.apple.com/en-us/102309","originalUrl":"https://cdsassets.apple.com/live/7WUAS350/images/macos/tahoe/macos-tahoe-26-system-settings-trackpad-point-and-click-look-up-and-data-detectors.png","credit":"Apple","rights":"Imagery © Apple. Developer-distributed screenshot or frame; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"macOS: pointer speed is separate from click force","alt":"macOS: pointer speed is separate from click force","markers":[{"x":74,"y":44,"label":"Tracking speed adjusts pointer motion on screen"}]},"tips":["Do not confuse cursor coordinates with finger coordinates on the surface."],"examples":[{"title":"macOS Trackpad settings","url":"https://support.apple.com/en-us/102309"}]}},"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/trackpad"}}