If I could work like the last few hours before the submission, I can't imagine how much I'd have accomplished..
these were the questions that went through my mind during those times:
Is this important?
Am I confident that I can make this, how long will it take?
How much value does it add to game?
Is there nothing else more important / better / simpler than this?
Any good alternatives at all?
These were asked in no particular order, but asked all the time...
With time running out, and a thousand ideas, I had to make the best choices that I could. , after each task completed, time just get shorter and shorter, so these questions matters even more...
During the last 24 hours, I've fixed some control issues (based on feedback), added sound, an early "level system" to make it gradually harder, and 1 new enemy. These things would've probably taken me 3-4 days under normal circumstances, but I got it done under 24 hours.. make it work! make it presentable, not too ugly, and ship it.. there's no time to make it perfect.. just get it done! now!
I don't recall the order in which I've implemented these, but it sure were ranked by how important it was (at that time of thinking).
Ideas just seems to pour in at the wrong times, without a tight/real deadline, I'd have normally gone and started working on the first one that came to mind, could be working on it for 1 week, just to realize it wasn't that good after all.
But this is of course, just an "ideal". To really do it, I've already failed since the submission day ended .. :P
Procrastination and thousands of excuses pour in at the wrong times as well. haha
Conclusion? found an ideal work-philosophy, but meeh .. so hard.. :P