I may, if I have time, write a small "How to get ready for the PGD Challenge" article for those. It'd be sort of a short list of items to get yourself ready on the start date of any game development competition.

Key stuff is usually tools; make sure all your tools are in order and working. Then there is your libraries and API; use what you know to use and make sure that you know to use what you need such as graphics, texture/sprite loading, audio, input controls, windows management, etc. And for crying out loud stick to the platforms that you know that your method of passing copies of your game to will easily support your game and the required distributable link libraries are included with your packaging.

It's more in depth than that, but that is some of the basics.