{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/trackpad--family-08","type":"mechanic","id":"trackpad--family-08","lang":"en","title":"Chords, roles and sequences","summary":"Multiple contacts receive independent roles. AudioSwift maps trackpad zones to notes, letting contacts combine into musical actions.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-08/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-08.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-08.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Trackpad interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-80fb36760a664f26","source-27c6b989daeb79c9","source-fd215230c062deb7"],"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-27c6b989daeb79c9","title":"libinput: swipe, pinch, hold","url":"https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-fd215230c062deb7","title":"AudioSwift","url":"https://audioswiftapp.com/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Combinations of contacts and their order distribute roles between fingers and allow you to compose commands from several phases."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-08-variants\"></a>\n\n- Number of fingers as mode. Gesture: One, two or three touches enable different functions. In the interface: One contact draws, two move, three change the tool. In the game: Change the type of action without a separate button. 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: The OS may already use such a grammar and not give all touches to the application. <a id=\"variant-71\"></a>\n- Spatial chord. Gesture: Touch a certain set of zones at the same time. In the interface: Command combinations, chord keyboard. In the game: Musical chords, rune combination, several valves. 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 coordinates of several contacts are needed; The number of fingers in itself does not determine the chord. <a id=\"variant-72\"></a>\n- Hold plus tap. Gesture: One contact holds the state, the other briefly touches. In the interface: Temporary modifier plus command. In the game: Shield and strike, aim and shoot. 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: Thumb filtering may remove the reference contact. <a id=\"variant-73\"></a>\n- Hold plus movement. Gesture: The first contact fixes the mode, the second continuously moves. In the interface: Editing with a modifier, fine adjustment. In the game: Block and direction of protection, capture and rotation. 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: For a regular cursor, instead of a support finger, you can use a key. <a id=\"variant-74\"></a>\n- Two independent channels. Gesture: Move two contacts along two controlled values. In the interface: Two sliders, XY-control with separate roles. In the game: Two rackets, two hands, gas and brake. 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: One system pointer does not turn into two. Check the panel area and hand comfort. <a id=\"variant-75\"></a>\n- Alternating fingers. Gesture: Alternately touch with two tracked contacts. In the interface: Drum input, metronome, motor training. In game: Running, rowing, drumming. 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: Two regular clicks allow you to enter a rhythm, but do not prove the alternation of physical fingers. <a id=\"variant-76\"></a>\n- Walking contacts. Gesture: Consistently rearrange fingers while maintaining at least one support. In the interface: Navigation on a surface with continuous contact. In the game: Climbing, walking of a creature, transfer of robot supports. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on a device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The role must be assigned by contact and context, and not by guessing which finger it is. <a id=\"variant-77\"></a>\n- Staging order. Gesture: Count different sequences of appearance of contacts using different commands. In the interface: Gesture code, switching a tool. In the game: Lock, combination of actions, sequential activation of mechanisms. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on a device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The order of events does not always accurately reflect almost simultaneous touches. <a id=\"variant-78\"></a>\n- Removal procedure. Gesture: Distinguish which of the assigned contacts is released first. In the interface: Different ways to confirm and complete. In the game: Release one grab, transfer a load, end a combination. 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: Stable identifiers within the sequence and separate cancellation processing are needed. <a id=\"variant-79\"></a>\n- Adding or removing a finger while moving. Gesture: Switch mode while maintaining the current trajectory. In the interface: Precision mode, change tools without stopping. In the game: Switch from walking to running, change the type of impact in the swing. 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: The OS recognizer can end one gesture and begin another; The transition cannot be considered continuous by default. <a id=\"variant-80\"></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-08","title":"Trackpad interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/trackpad/#family-08","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Chords, roles and sequences","description":"Multiple contacts receive independent roles. AudioSwift maps trackpad zones to notes, letting contacts combine into musical actions.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/control-audioswift-4.webp","width":1024,"height":576,"game":"AudioSwift","sourceUrl":"https://audioswiftapp.com/","originalUrl":"https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/z7hef1ztnd56mheic3wgn/05-Core-Features-Triggers-MPE.mp4?rlkey=ao0d1fw6tnmt2sa4nsc36eccx&st=zyrj4jr0&raw=1","sourceFrameSeconds":2.8166665,"credit":"Nigel Ríos; host apps and instruments retain their respective rights","rights":"Imagery © Nigel Ríos; host apps and instruments retain their respective rights. Developer-distributed screenshot or frame; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"AudioSwift Trigger: the note grid maps to trackpad zones","alt":"AudioSwift Trigger: the note grid maps to trackpad zones","markers":[{"x":36,"y":74,"label":"The grid divides the surface into independently assigned zones"}]},"tips":["Preserve contact roles as fingers join and leave the surface."],"examples":[{"title":"AudioSwift","url":"https://audioswiftapp.com/"}]}},"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"}}