A method of controlling a haptic output device (112, 116, 120), the method comprising the steps of: receiving a first input including a desired haptic effect waveform, wherein the desired haptic effect waveform includes a time period during which the desired haptic effect waveform has only a single amplitude increase or only a single amplitude decrease; receiving a second input from a sensor (113, 117, 121) configured to sense a current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120), the second input including a sensed value of the current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120); generating a first control signal that substantially matches the desired haptic effect waveform; generating a second control signal based on the first control signal and on the current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120), wherein the second control signal is generated by modifying the first control signal to compensate for the current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120); and applying the second control signal as a drive signal to the haptic output device (112, 116, 120) to instruct the haptic output device (112, 116, 120) to output a haptic effect having a profile with a time period that corresponds to the time period of the desired haptic effect waveform, wherein the second control signal includes multiple time periods (180, 182) having different respective amplitudes, and wherein the second control signal includes at least one kick and at least one brake in the multiple time periods (180, 182), wherein the at least one kick is an amplitude increase, and wherein the at least one brake is an amplitude decrease, and wherein the multiple time periods (180, 182) of the second control signal correspond to the time period of the desired haptic effect waveform and correspond to the time period of the profile of the haptic effect, wherein the at least one kick and the at least one brake in the multiple time periods (180, 182) of the second control signal, when applied to the haptic output device, cause the profile of the haptic effect to include, during the time period thereof corresponding to the time period of the desired haptic effect waveform, only a single amplitude increase or only a single amplitude decrease that substantially matches the single amplitude increase or single amplitude decrease, respectively, of the desired haptic effect waveform. receiving a first input including a desired haptic effect waveform, wherein the desired haptic effect waveform includes a time period during which the desired haptic effect waveform has only a single amplitude increase or only a single amplitude decrease; receiving a second input from a sensor (113, 117, 121) configured to sense a current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120), the second input including a sensed value of the current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120); generating a first control signal that substantially matches the desired haptic effect waveform; generating a second control signal based on the first control signal and on the current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120), wherein the second control signal is generated by modifying the first control signal to compensate for the current operational status of the haptic output device (112, 116, 120); and applying the second control signal as a drive signal to the haptic output device (112, 116, 120) to instruct the haptic output device (112, 116, 120) to output a haptic effect having a profile with a time period that corresponds to the time period of the desired haptic effect waveform, wherein the second control signal includes multiple time periods (180, 182) having different respective amplitudes, and wherein the second control signal includes at least one kick and at least one brake in the multiple time periods (180, 182), wherein the at least one kick is an amplitude increase, and wherein the at least one brake is an amplitude decrease, and wherein the multiple time periods (180, 182) of the second control signal correspond to the time period of the desired haptic effect waveform and correspond to the time period of the profile of the haptic effect, wherein the at least one kick and the at least one brake in the multiple time periods (180, 182) of the second control signal, when applied to the haptic output device, cause the profile of the haptic effect to include, during the time period thereof corresponding to the time period of the desired haptic effect waveform, only a single amplitude increase or only a single amplitude decrease that substantially matches the single amplitude increase or single amplitude decrease, respectively, of the desired haptic effect waveform.