should you use vibrations in mobile games?

I'm wondering about everyone's stance about using vibrations in mobile games. I haven't really seen vibrations being used much in the mobile games I've been playing, and I'm guessing there's a good reason behind it.

I've been testing using the smallest vibration on android devices when you get hit, and it feels pretty good on mid-range to high end devices that have more subtle vibrations that are barely noticeable, but it's kind of annoying on the low-end phones where the softest vibration possible is still pretty strong.

 

I think the big annoyance is that it keeps the game from being silent anymore. If I'm near other people, I can mute the volume, but I can't mute the vibration sounds.

I think it's fine to include vibrations, as long as it's off by default, and something that players can optionally turn on. If it's on by default, I'll almost always turn it off immediately. If it's on permanently, I'll usually just not play that game.

 

Maybe you could make an option menu setting, where you can adjust the rate of the vibrations. And give the user full control of it.

Turn off vibration.
Turn vibration on.

Vibrate every 15 minutes.
Vibrate every 20 minutes.

Custom vibration rate settings etc.

 

I think the issue is the setting where mobile games are played compared to PC and Console games. PC and Console games are played primarily at home, in your own space. Mobile games are often played in shared spaces. On the bus, in line at the DMV, on an airplane, in bed while your significant other is asleep, etc. Sound you can either mute or use headphones, but vibration you can't unless there is an in game option to just turn it off. This makes vibration in mobile games super annoying for most people.

 

It should be used like screen shake, just enough to give you feedback and immersion.
But you must have the option to turn it off, when devs don't put this kind of things as an option it's a deal breaker for me.

 

I think you should leave it up to the user (who may want the device literally silent, may want to conserve battery life, may get annoyed by it, etc.). Default off though, so for people who DO like vibration, it'll be like "wow! there's an option for it!" instead of the other way around starting off with some negative feeling and hoping they can find an option to switch it off.

You could have something the very first time it starts up, "Would you like to enable vibration? You can change this any time from the Options menu. [YES] [NO]".