None? I do whatever I want to make it more fun. I don't nessecarily play by 'rules', because in the end, i've found that they only lessen my fun, and just give me 'bragging rights'.

(I'm not counting playing a pure mage {for example} as a rule here, that's somethind I do.)
Also: playing quest lines appropriate to my type of character, but that sounds more logical than like a rule.

No console cheats
No power leveling anything

And a character dependant thing:
NO Spellcasting
(Not even healing) Use potions and food! Spellcasting aint for warriors

Mine are (Going to try to hold down to them a bit more.)

- Expert Level only
- No Fast Travel
- Take as many Morally Good Quests as possible. (Basically do what my character would do.)
- No spells.
- Select Dragon Shouts only.

Right, of course. And when I'm in the mood for exploring the wilderness or randomly encountering things, I will just wander about. However, sometimes there's something specific that I intend to accomplish. In those cases, I use fast travel to save time. Even if I wasn't fast traveling, all I would do is run to my objective anyway. I wouldn't stop along the way, I wouldn't deviate, I would just get to my destination and do whatever it is I went there to do.

So it's a question of what I want. I know there's a lot of value in happening upon things, but sometimes that just gets in the way, or gets ignored. That's when I FT.

-- Have fun
-- Listen to my Dremora Lord(s) taunt enemies as he slaughters them
-- Blast things with fire
-- Blast mages with lightning
-- Explore dwemer ruins
-- Have fun

Okay, so it sounds like you're one of those results-oriented people for whom the ends dictate what's done. That's fine, but I'm more interested in the process and I don't even usually let my char run. Some nights I know that all I will be able to get done that session is get back to some city, but it's not like I'm in any hurry to finish the game or "win."

Yea, wow. To me, that sounds like more of a chore. I would never be interested in sitting in front of a game for an hour and doing nothing but walking.

-Always use fast travel

-Cheers

No fortify skill or 100% reduced spell cost via stacking enchants, pretty much it for me unless any other obvious exploits/serious balance issues are discovered.

No fast travel.
Eat at least once a day.
Walking in towns, villages, and guilds.
Hunting for food.
Cook my meals, technically my character doesn't have to because he cant catch diseases from un-cooked meat. (Lycanthropy) . But he does because it tastes better.

Hee! It's not a chore, it's an obligation!

(also, it's somewhat calming to just hit the autowalk key, settle back, and drive)

I have fun. That's the only rule.

Basically for RP and immersion reasons. I only use the carriage for fast travel, forgot to mention that. I just love travelling far distances to get to my quests. I hunt game along the way cause thats how I get food. It seems more realistic to use a carriage, horse or running. But to each his own right?

Using fast travel only to Whiterun if I have to leave the game for other activities to store equipment. (Girlfriend calls, laundry, school, work, etc.) I start and stop my games only from city hubs (no leaving your character out in the wilderness or in a dungeon).

Not power leveling any skill. I want to feel accomplishment for completing my tasks.

For secondary skills: I follow the perk trees and what they allow for crafting. i.e. I hit level 30 smithing, unlocking steel, so no more crafting iron for skill ups

• No Fast Travel
  
• Compass disabled
  
• Timescale slowed to 1:12 (default is 1:20)
  
• Only loot what makes sense

For those with a PC version who'd like to disable the compass, find your SkyrimPrefs.ini and set bShowCompass to 0.
To change the timescale, open the console with ~ and type "set timescale to x", where x is the number of minutes passing in game for each real life minute.
I find these two changes render the game much more immersive.

1- if a companion dies i must drag there body to a river flowing into a water fall.
2-do not do thief quests as a warrior.
3-do not do mage quests as a warrior.
4-If you have the option to start a brawl do so.
5-kill everyone who wears elven armor.

Life is about the journey, not the destination.

It isn't a chore when it's fun. There's a lot of stuff going on in the world that you will miss using fast travel. Rarely do I travel between two points and encounter nothing. Also, it isn't possible to walk for an hour and do nothing - unless you're walking directly into a wall.

Another house-rule of mine is:

• Only do what makes sense

I'm going to try without the compass now.

First rule of Fight Club, I mean Skyrim, is that I have no rules.

Well, except don't cheat by using console.

Second rule of fig... oh nevermind.