I mostly play on night servers. The way night is now, it is actually playable, IMO. Dark enough to make it hard to make things out and see very far, but at the same time you don't find yourself looking at a unplayable dark screen unless you have some form of artificial in game light. And no, I don't currently feel I have to use the "gamma exploit" to see.

Found two yesterday while on my adventure.

I think it depends on your style of gameplay.

I've only found one once (when I wasn't even looking for it of course) in Gorka. Taking it for a joy ride was probably the most fun I had in DayZ SA! It was like sneaking out your parents' car or something. It was a BLAST! I was fully expecting to be shot, but I didn't care. I drove it until it ran out of gas around Kabanino. Survived my joyride. But I haven't been able to find one since... bummer.

I'd like to see either of these:

Early in the life cycle is always exciting. When you're trying to find enough food and water. While you're also looking for a decent melee weapon (ie axe of some type) so you can actually fend off Zeds. All loot is potentially an upgrade from what you already have. That being said, I actually like being decently geared up, being able to choose where I go next, and decide if it is worth a confrontation or not.

As has already been said... It is quite common to run into other players in high value loot areas in low pop servers.

For those of you that wish to have the "crosshair/dot" removed from hardcore; you do realize there is a metagame way for one to essentially put it back in, right? I'd be for an option to remove it user side, but otherwise I don't see the point.

Go to any of those places in a low pop server, and you have an excellent chance of seeing others. Especially right after the server has restarted.

I prefer the M4. It just seems to be the best general purpose firearm in the game at the moment.

Yes. I'm usually able to determine the direction the sound is coming from. It's saved my butt several times. Using Turtle Beach x12 headset.