I'll be joining this Ludum Dare, it'll be the last games jam I'll do this year after doing one every month (thanks to a New Years Resolution). My aim will be the compo since I cannot do any game development on Monday.

Here are the rules I go by for these events:

1. Gameplay First - Your game might look/sound great and have a really nice menu but it won't be a well-built game if not a finished game if you leave it at the last minute. Have your game prototype ready by the end of the first day.
2. Small Scope - My general amount of scope for a games jam is one main/unique game mechanic and two optional ones. It's not worth putting so many mechanics and features in your game if you don't have the time for it.
3. Know your Tools - I plan to use my own C++ engine, as well as Photoshop and Piskell for visuals and BFXR/LMMS for audio. All of which I've used previously and know very well. While supporting many platforms including web will help, it's not worth using an engine or software because everyone else uses it and makes great stuff with it.
4. Stick Mostly with What You Know - Trying to learn at least one new thing in a project is fun, but don't try to make a game in a genre you've never tried before, or make a 3D game when you usually do 2D, when you only have 48 hours.
5. Make Your Content Easy and Noticeable - Don't feel you have to put the extra effort in how your game looks and sounds when you're at that stage, but if you do don't focus it on something the players aren't gonna notice. Sometimes big simple designs work better.
6. 621 - Six hours of sleep, Two meals and One shower per day. Don't pull all-nighters, don't skip or replace meals with energy drinks and savoury stuff and calm yourself down for a bit while being hygienic.
7. Take a Walk - A breath of fresh air will help you think of solutions to that one bug that you cannot figure out how to fix or that mechanic that doesn't feel right.
8. Find a Friend - If you're gonna go the jam route, see if you can get friends on board. If you work together it'll be more collaborative and less pressure on you. Be sure to find a decent way to thank them after it's all over.

Have fun everyone! Feel free to add on or critique my rules.