Show HN: Boing

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

The three most prevalent themes in the Hacker News discussion about the "boing" application are:

Nostalgia and Appreciation for Simple, Well-Executed Mechanics: Many users expressed fondness for the application's focus on a single, satisfying interaction, reminiscent of older, simpler mobile apps.
- Quotation: "i love this. it reminds me of simpler times when we’d have iphone apps/games that would explore a single mechanic and implement it really well." – "prodigycorp"
- Quotation: "This reminds me why simple single-purpose web toys used to be so satisfying. No account, no onboarding, no 'upgrade to pro' - just a thing that does one thing well." – "analogears"
Curiosity and Discussion Around the Sound Simulation: A significant part of the technical discussion centered on whether the "boing" sound was procedurally generated based on physics or used pitch-shifted samples, leading to detailed explanations about the difficulty of true physical modeling.
- Quotation: "I noticed that the boing sound gets deeper and lower with smaller-magnitude boings. Is the boing audio generated procedurally/realistically in response to the physics of the boing, or is just playing a premade boing sound effect that's dynamically pitch shifted?" – "ethmarks"
- Quotation: "Ideal springs are a common, simple element in this field, but this kind of spring is very much not that... You're probably better off improving the sample-based version by fading out the audio when necessary..." – "pierrec"
User-Driven Improvements and Feature Requests (Especially Social/Data Driven): Users quickly identified minor bugs and suggested enhancements, leading to rapid iteration by the developer, including the addition of a world counter and slow-motion mode.
- Quotation: "Oh random Flash apps, how I miss you" – "cr125rider" (Reflecting the desire for this type of application)
- Quotation: "Oh it needs a total boings by everyone counter! ... Total boing heatmap!" – "jonplackett" and "dmje" (Prompting a feature that was quickly implemented)

🚀 Project Ideas

Procedural Audio Synthesizer for Mechanical Sounds

Summary

A tool that generates synthesized, physically-modeled audio for mechanical interactions (like the "boing" sound) instead of relying on pitched samples.
Core value proposition: Achieve more realistic, dynamic, and unique mechanical sound effects through real-time digital signal processing (DSP) based on physical parameters.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Game developers, sound designers, creators of interactive toys (like the original boing app).
Core Feature	A web-based synthesis engine where users can adjust parameters (spring constant, damping, mass ratio, collision firmness) and hear the resulting physical model sound instantly.
Tech Stack	WebAssembly (for high-performance DSP), Web Audio API, perhaps Rust/C++ or dedicated DSP libraries compiled to WASM.
Difficulty	High
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

Users expressed a strong desire for "procedurally/realistically" generated audio ("Is the boing audio generated procedurally/realistically in response to the physics...?") and noted current issues where the sound doesn't perfectly match the physics ("sound doesn't stop").
This directly addresses the expert suggestion about physical modeling being difficult but rewarding, turning it into a practical tool rather than just a theoretical discussion.

Interactive Physics Toy Platform (with Shareable States)

Summary

A platform for rapidly creating simple, highly polished, single-mechanic physics toys (like the Boing example).
Key feature: Ability to save and share the exact state of a simulation (including spring positions, velocities, and settings) via a unique URL or exportable string.
Core value proposition: Enable creators to share not just the idea but the specific, engaging moment or setup of a simulation instantly.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Developers inspired by the original, creative HN users, fans of single-mechanic web gadgets.
Core Feature	State serialization/deserialization for the physics simulation, allowing users to share "My latest 37th boing setup" (inspired by the counter discussion).
Tech Stack	JavaScript/TypeScript (React/Vue for UI), Phaser or PixiJS for rendering, a lightweight physics engine compatible with serialization (like Matter.js or a custom lightweight one).
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

Users explicitly asked for social features ("you should make it social… Like I want to be able to send my sister my latest “Boing,” and see what she thinks of my technique").
The successful addition of the global "boing counter" shows appetite for persistent, aggregate tracking, but state sharing offers a more direct social connection based on user interaction.

Haptic Feedback SDK/Polyfill for Web Interactions

Summary

A JavaScript library that attempts to provide consistent, high-quality haptic feedback across mobile and desktop browsers, specifically targeting drag/release events common in physics UIs.
Core value proposition: Bridging the gap in cross-browser Haptic API support to deliver tactile responses for web interactions, fulfilling the request for "haptics."

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Developers creating tactile web apps (physics sims, mobile-first tools, interactive graphics).
Core Feature	A unified API call (`Haptics.trigger('drag_tension', magnitude)`) that abstracts away browser/OS limitations (Vibration API, WebKit extensions) to provide nuanced feedback like tension buildup.
Tech Stack	JavaScript, detection logic for browser capabilities (e.g., checking for specific iOS/Android haptic extensions), fallback strategy for unsupported devices.
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

The creator noted that standard haptic APIs weren't suitable for complex events like drag/release, leading to the desire for better integration: "I would love to, but iOS support doesn't seem possible - [...] doesn't work with the kinds of events here of drag&release."
A robust, well-tested solution that manages the complexity of the current fragmented haptic landscape would be highly valued by developers looking to add "delight" to their interfaces.