The following is a refactored translation of the talk I gave at the EVA10 Expo in Buenos Aires, on 11/12/10. It does not mirror exactly what I said during the talk, but it should give you a general idea. I’ve divided it into three parts: Player limits and systemic constraints, Cheap tricks and easy ways out and Best practices (this post).
To avoid the need to take a design shortcut, I had identified some desirable characteristics of high quality motion mechanics. Whenever I designed or refined one, I tried to make it understandable, detectable, responsive, permissive, humane and sensuous.
I believe these 6 characteristics to be fundamental to good motion design.