Snowman has announced that Alto's Adventure has been updated with in-game haptic feedback on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, making it one of the first-ever iOS games to support the new Taptic Engine.

haptic_feedback
Now, when playing the game, users will experience subtle vibrations when completing in-game tasks, such as collecting a wayward llama, sliding over an ice boost, or snapping a shot in Photo Mode. Even small interactions such as reaching minimum or maximum zoom are now accompanied by haptic feedback.

Thanks to the expanded Taptic Engine, we’ve been able to pinpoint exciting moments in a run and tie them to more precise vibrational feedback. Now, you’ll feel a nice jolt of satisfaction upon collecting a wayward llama or sliding over an ice boost. The golden burst of a super coin or powdery landing of a huge combo will hopefully be a little more thrilling.

We’ve even tried to give some consideration to calmer moments: reaching minimum & maximum zoom or snapping the perfect shot in Photo Mode will vibrate like a real camera, immersing you in the joys of being your own mountain photographer. The list goes on, but rather than spoil it all, we’re excited for players to stumble onto each new interaction and find their favourite ones.

The functionality is made possible by an expanded Taptic Engine in Apple's latest iPhones. Whereas the Taptic Engine on iPhone 6s was limited to 3D Touch and very few other system interactions, haptic feedback now has much wider iOS support, and developers are able to put the Taptic Engine to work in third-party apps.

Alto's Adventure is a beautiful endless runner in which you control a snowboarder through procedurally generated mountains and valleys, amid thunderstorms, blizzards, fog, rainbows, and shooting stars. The game features physics-based gameplay, along with fully dynamic lighting and weather effects.


Alto's Adventure is $3.99 on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone and iPad. Version 1.4.1 is available now as a free update for existing users.

Top Rated Comments

0029937 Avatar
113 months ago
Because "Taptic" is new, newness brings hype, and you get articles like this one reporting on it for the sake of reporting.
Haters gonna' hate. It's just the way it is. I personally love the haptic feedback in the iPhone 7 in iOS 10 menus. Can't wait to see it implemented in more games/apps.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
113 months ago
How is this fundamentally different from using the phone's vibrate? I get that technologically it's a zap more so than a buzz, but from a user perspective, could I even tell the difference? Just seems like a rather boring feature. If vibration feedback truly made a game better, wouldn't they have been including that for the last however many years via vibrate?
It is actually noticeably different. The issue with vibration in the past is that it required a certain RPM to be reached for the desired result. The way Taptic works is more similar to a Linear actuator, and due to the small size of their design,reaches a desired frequency almost instantly, and Stopps just as quickly. This allows it to shift frequencies much more quickly, and in some cases, can trick the brain to think vibration is coming from different areas, or like you are actually pressing into a device.

In some ways it is like comparing old Filiment style lights, with new technology LEDs. Or more relevantly, how a speaker reproduces sound versus a rotating siren.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blasto2236 Avatar
113 months ago
Don't have a 7/7 Plus yet, so can't comment on how this all actually works, but I like that Snowman is providing constant, significant updates to Alto's Adventure. Adding things like 3D Touch functionality and haptic feedback are nice, free updates, and more developers should be trying to think of meaningful ways to incorporate these features.

Good on you, Snowman!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DavidLeblond Avatar
113 months ago
I like the taptic. I showed it to a friend of mine who has an Android and he said "mine does that!" and showed it to me. No, that was a quick vibrate. The tap is definitely different, and I actually like it a lot.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SMIDG3T Avatar
113 months ago
One of the best iOS games. Well worth the money.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pakaku Avatar
113 months ago
How is this fundamentally different from using the phone's vibrate? I get that technologically it's a zap more so than a buzz, but from a user perspective, could I even tell the difference? Just seems like a rather boring feature. If vibration feedback truly made a game better, wouldn't they have been including that for the last however many years via vibrate?
Because "Taptic" is new, newness brings hype, and you get articles like this one reporting on it for the sake of reporting.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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