Method for chatting using chat interface with haptic feedback function

A chat interface allows a user to exchange haptic chat messages with other users in a chat session over a computer network. A chat interface can be displayed by a local computer and receives input data from a user, such as text characters or speech input. The input data provides an outgoing chat message that can include sent force information. The outgoing chat message is sent to a remote computer via a computer network. The remote computer can display a chat interface and output a haptic sensation to a user based on the force information. An incoming message from the remote computer can also be received at the chat interface, which may also include received force information. A haptic sensation based on the received force information can be output to the user using a haptic device coupled to the local computer.