Core haptics game feedback workflow

Core Haptics Game Feedback Workflow

Overview

Use this skill when game feedback depends on haptics, audio-haptic patterns, or controller rumble. Keep physical sensation claims behind real device or controller evidence.

Source Check

Use Xcode MCP DocumentationSearch, Xcode-local documentation, Dash Apple API Reference docsets, or readable official Apple documentation before making Core Haptics or controller-haptics claims. Generic no-JS web search/open results, snippets, metadata shells, or bare Apple Developer URLs are not enough evidence that Apple docs were read:

• Core Haptics
• Playing Haptics on Game Controllers
• Game Controller haptics
• Playing haptics

Apple sample guidance for controller haptics requires a physical device and Bluetooth-connected controller. Treat that as the evidence standard for controller haptic validation.

Workflow

1. Inspect feedback ownership:
   • import CoreHaptics
   • CHHapticEngine, CHHapticPattern, CHHapticEvent, CHHapticParameter, CHHapticAdvancedPatternPlayer
   • GCDeviceHaptics, controller localities, and Game Controller integration
   • audio-session, audio-engine, or sound-effect code that must synchronize with feedback
2. Check capabilities before design commitments:
   • Device haptic support
   • Controller haptic localities
   • Audio-haptic needs
   • Interruptions, engine reset, app lifecycle, and background behavior
   • Accessibility, reduced motion, user settings, and alternate feedback paths
3. Design patterns from gameplay meaning:
   • Impact, charge, rhythm, confirmation, warning, surface texture, failure, and reward feedback should be named by gameplay purpose.
   • Keep haptic pattern creation testable and data-driven when a game has many feedback events.
   • Avoid firing haptics from hidden side effects that make input or gameplay hard to reason about.
4. Validate honestly:
   • Compile and run with the relevant Apple Dev execution workflow.
   • Use physical iPhone, iPad, Mac trackpad, or game controller evidence for sensation claims.
   • Report simulator-only or unsupported-device checks as compile/API validation, not physical haptic validation.

Handoffs

• game-controller-input-workflow when controller lifecycle, mappings, or input events own the issue.
• apple-dev-skills:avfaudio-session-workflow when audio session configuration owns the failure.
• apple-dev-skills:avaudio-engine-workflow when AVAudioEngine graph behavior owns synchronized audio.
• apple-dev-skills:xcode-build-run-workflow for project membership, build, run, and device execution mechanics.

Output Shape

Return the gameplay feedback purpose, haptic owner, capability checks, fallback or accessibility path, validation device/controller, and any sensation evidence that remains manual.