TL;DR - HAVE FUN

Hello Jammers, I don't consider myself a veteran, considering the fact that LD has been here way longer than my first jam (this is my 8th LD jam), but I still feel like I can share some useful information to either newcomers or those who just like reading things they already know to make them feel better about themselves (humor mode activated). I prepared some general tips which may be obvious to some, but maybe others don't even think about them. So don't expect something like "Plan your project with bullet points.... work on your code first... create assets later...". So here they are:

• Don't stress yourself. Just enjoy the event, it's not about winners anyway. It's about everyone having a good time.
• Don't compare your game. You sure find many games that will look like some AAA titles made by 20 professionals and you can't just believe some people made such a game in 48 hours. Believe it or not, even professionals like to enjoy some Jamming, so don't feel bad that your game doesn't look as cool as some guy's, and just think about your game as an unique entity not a competitor.
• Check LD page feed often. With the previous point, you now have the mindset of not-envious person. Therefore go ahead and enjoy all those screenshots and videos people post (literally) every minute and get inspired and feel the vibes of the community!
• Eat. Don't forget to eat and drink. Sometimes when you are too excited about the work you may feel like you don't need to eat or drink, but you do. It helps your brain function better, therefore you will enjoy the workflow even more.
• Don't over-complicate your game. A game jam is often characterized by short and rather simple games. Obviously, when you have only 48/72 hours. However, sometimes jammers like to overcomplicate their game and not always they manage to finish their product properly, ending up with a barely playable prototype. Long story short: It's much better to play a simple short game, yet polished, than some overcomplicated Stellaris-like strategy that is completely unplayable.
• JUST HAVE FUN! Try something new, learn how to do art, sound effects, music, new code mechanics, do some crazy funny game that will be fun for you to create. Don't be afraid to try things you haven't tried before, as well as get rid of the mindset "what if people won't like my game". Some will some won't, but that's not the point. You joined this jam to have a good time, not to win a prize. That's why it is such a great event, because there is no winner getting money or something, so it is basically a cheater-free zone, and the whole weekend is about having a good time instead of competing with each other.