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Epic Mickey
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An interesting article that describes a pipeline of pre-production that is used on the game "Epic Mickey". It describes two things that i found particularly interesting.

One is working with a source material as wide and sensitive as disney animation. They have to keep the artwork true to that yet still bring a personal twist to it. A great example of this is that in the animation of the main character, Mickey Mouse, they have to be able to show both ears on the character, no matter what angle or position.

Another interesting thing was the need to visually differentiate the "static" game world from interactive parts of the game world, since bits and pieces can be added and/or removed by the player by means of a magic brush (wiimote).

Skeletons in your closet?
Source.

This article is very technical, which i won't get into much.

But what can be derived from it and what it made me think of, mostly, is the importance of proper animation in games. Motion makes a world believable and come to life, enhances character, and enforces action.

With action in this context i specifically mean actions the player undertakes and you want to have some effect on the world. The player is after all, merely pressing buttons, but you want the action of pressing a button to become so much more in the game world itself.

RAGEQUIT!
Source.

Loads of players don't finish their games. This article talks about the psychology behind this, and what game developers can do to ensure the playing experience is pleasant and fullfilling enough for players, and makes them want to finish the game.

It appears the trick is to give the proper feedback to players. It's alright if a player loses every now and again, or if a game is too hard. As long as the players know they are being treated fairly and the challenge is one that can be overcome. When a game is lost, be sure to let the players know why they lost and how it happoned, so they can anticipate and avoid repeating the same mistakes. "Modern" games have a lot going on on the screen and sometimes they can get confusing without the proper feedback.

A good example is giving players in shooters a "grenade warning". With modern, realistic graphics it can be hard to spot a little grenade coming your way, but that same grenade will most likely kill you. So in most modern shooters these days you get a little graphic warning on the screen telling you a grenade has been thrown and where it has been thrown, so the player can undertake action to avoid death. They can still die from the granade, but they'll know they've died from a granade, and not randomly.