{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/trackpad--family-09","type":"mechanic","id":"trackpad--family-09","lang":"en","title":"Zones and virtual controls","summary":"The surface is divided into virtual controls. In AudioSwift separate vertical zones change Expression, Dynamics, Reverb and Release.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-09/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-09.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-09.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Trackpad interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-80fb36760a664f26","source-8303b0f3aad42806","source-3b576ce1cd2451ef","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-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-fd215230c062deb7","title":"AudioSwift","url":"https://audioswiftapp.com/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Surface areas receive virtual roles: stick, wheel, button or independent control axis."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-09-variants\"></a>\n\n- Grid of virtual buttons. Gesture: Divide the physical panel into cells. In the interface: Hot commands, numeric keypad, remote control. In the game: Quick slots, drum pads, abilities. 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: You need a screen layout and sufficiently large zones; There are no signatures on the panel. <a id=\"variant-81\"></a>\n- Virtual cross. Gesture: Center and directions work as number buttons. In the interface: Menu navigation, step-by-step shift. In the game: Walking on cells, platforming controls. 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 neutral zone and the diagonal rule are set; a special driver can provide ready-made buttons. <a id=\"variant-82\"></a>\n- Two-dimensional analogue remote control. Gesture: X and Y coordinates independently set two parameters. In the interface: Panorama and volume, color and saturation, XY effect. In the game: Steering wheel and gas, two ability parameters, balance control. 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: These are two program parameters of one position, and not necessarily two contacts. <a id=\"variant-83\"></a>\n- Radial menu. Gesture: Open the menu, select a sector with a movement and confirm. In the interface: Tools, commands, quick selection. In the game: Wheel of weapons, spells or orders. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: Works through the cursor and holding. The option with a physical panel center requires T or special mode. <a id=\"variant-84\"></a>\n- Outer ring as an additional command. Gesture: Go beyond a given radius relative to the center of the surface. In the interface: Accelerated mode or an expanded set of functions. In the game: Running on the outer ring, walking closer to the center. 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, an analogue relative to the screen center is possible; physical zone requires panel coordinates. <a id=\"variant-85\"></a>\n- Edge slider stripes. Gesture: Select edges for individual continuous parameters. In the interface: Volume, scale, transparency, time axis. In the game: Tool health, power, height, thrust. 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: Contacts at the edge can be filtered out by the driver. Do not confuse the edge of the panel with the edge of the screen window. <a id=\"variant-86\"></a>\n- Angles and quadrants. Gesture: Assign different commands to different corners and halves. In the interface: Four quick tools or two control groups. In the game: Left and right hits, four abilities. 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: This is a specific surface marking; system click zones do not guarantee arbitrary markings. <a id=\"variant-87\"></a>\n- Display in the screen area. Gesture: Link a surface to a selected part of the screen. In the interface: Control of the minimap, a specific monitor or panel. In the game: Quick order on the minimap, precise work with inventory. 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 proportions and size of the area must be taken into account. Steam Input describes the Mouse Region for supported sources. <a id=\"variant-88\"></a>\n- Modifier of another device. Gesture: With a key or button, change the value of the panel movement. In the interface: Rotate instead of transfer, copy when dragging, precise input. In the game: The keyboard is responsible for movement, the panel for the camera; button changes tool. 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: Some drivers suppress the panel during printing. Collaboration needs to be checked on the device. <a id=\"variant-89\"></a>\n- Crossing zone boundaries. Gesture: Trigger an action when entering a zone or crossing a line. In the interface: Sequential selection, click-free input along a route. In the game: Strings, laser tracks, notes, connecting contacts. 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 zones of the physical panel, T is required. For zones of the screen canvas, the cursor trajectory P is sufficient. <a id=\"variant-90\"></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-09","title":"Trackpad interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/trackpad/#family-09","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Zones and virtual controls","description":"The surface is divided into virtual controls. In AudioSwift separate vertical zones change Expression, Dynamics, Reverb and Release.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/control-audioswift-2.webp","width":1024,"height":576,"game":"AudioSwift","sourceUrl":"https://audioswiftapp.com/","originalUrl":"https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/01xx9msnyfkak43g0j99r/03-Core-Features-Sliders.mp4?rlkey=q5fpwrws8j8i4lglzjgfbwvsb&st=9adzkxde&raw=1","sourceFrameSeconds":3,"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 Slider: independent vertical trackpad controls","alt":"AudioSwift Slider: independent vertical trackpad controls","markers":[{"x":59,"y":32,"label":"Each zone maps to its own instrument parameter"}]},"tips":["Show zone boundaries and check access to raw contacts."],"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"}}