A method for transforming haptic signals into collections of vibrotactile haptic effect patterns, the method comprising: receiving a haptic signal comprising a plurality of haptic effect patterns, wherein each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns comprises data configured to cause a high-definition haptic output device to produce a corresponding haptic effect; detecting a corresponding start time and a corresponding end time for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns within the haptic signal; shifting the corresponding start time for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns back by a shift duration, wherein the shifting back of the start time is configured to compensate for a slower response time of a standard-definition haptic output device compared to the high-definition haptic output device; assigning a corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns, wherein the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern comprises data configured to cause the standard-definition haptic output device to produce a corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect for an active duration and to cease producing the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect for a silent duration; setting, for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns, the active duration of the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of a duration of the haptic effect pattern and a maximum amplitude of the haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold; setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a difference of one and the maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than the duration threshold; and sending, for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns, the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the standard-definition haptic output device to generate one or more vibrotactile haptic effects at the corresponding start time that was shifted back by the shift duration. receiving a haptic signal comprising a plurality of haptic effect patterns, wherein each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns comprises data configured to cause a high-definition haptic output device to produce a corresponding haptic effect; detecting a corresponding start time and a corresponding end time for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns within the haptic signal; shifting the corresponding start time for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns back by a shift duration, wherein the shifting back of the start time is configured to compensate for a slower response time of a standard-definition haptic output device compared to the high-definition haptic output device; assigning a corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns, wherein the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern comprises data configured to cause the standard-definition haptic output device to produce a corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect for an active duration and to cease producing the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect for a silent duration; setting, for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns, the active duration of the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of a duration of the haptic effect pattern and a maximum amplitude of the haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than a duration threshold; setting the silent duration of the vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to a product of the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern and a difference of one and the maximum amplitude of the corresponding haptic effect pattern, when the duration of the corresponding haptic effect pattern is less than the duration threshold; and sending, for each haptic effect pattern of the plurality of haptic effect patterns, the corresponding vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to the standard-definition haptic output device to generate one or more vibrotactile haptic effects at the corresponding start time that was shifted back by the shift duration.