The Best Start For Hardcore?

[Zombie Milkman 167]

Since I have spent this first week running around as a noob on servers with 10 or less players, and getting familiar with the controls, environment, the typical cities, etc., I want to make the leap to a Hardcore server for good with a high population and had some questions for that group of veterans on here.  Any help would be appreciated, and all I ask is if you have nothing constructive to add, please keep it from this thread.  Thanks in advance:

 

- Right off the bat, should I go all in and do the experimental server option?

- Are there any high pop Hardcore servers I should avoid?  My preference is not to jump into one where it is me vs. the 39 player clan w/ every exploit and mini nukes in C++ add on.  I had enough of that garbage on BF4 and orange box, usually with tag lines like "We love new players!"

- With the ever present threat of server disconnects, are there any hardcore servers that are more stable than others?  I discovered that server resets cause you to lose even items that you took out and put next to you which is annoying.

- Since I have been on low pop servers where my only real concern was the marathon runner zed, how noticeable to other players are you when crouch-running?

 

All help is appreciated, and please, no flames.  Thanks!

Edited July 12, 2014 by Zombie Milkman

[Caboose187 (DayZ) 3036]

This is my experience from playing regular vs hardcore:  Players are less friendly on hardcore and more inclined to KoS.  Regular servers seem to have more RP players with a few who use their leet corner peeking skills to KoS.  Again, my opinion.  Oh, also, European servers seem more friendly and less KoS with both hardcore and regular than US servers.

[ryanincalgary 20]

The only difference between regular and hardcore is third person view, which is overrated anyway. Just pick a couple hardcore servers with the lowest latency.

[Agilov 133]

Usually play on german or UK hardcore servers. I don't like beeing shoot by a corner peeking coward on regular. People don't tent to KOS if you don't sprint at them with a rifle in your hands (at least thats what I experienced). Less visible weapons like pistols will do the job pretty well if the situation gets unpleasent.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Agilov

[Dagwood 680]

You're only going to find 2-3 hardcore servers that are full or nearly full most of the time. The rest are 7-15 player servers.

In hardcore, crouching while in or around town instead of standing can greatly increase your chances of going undetected. But in doing so, you also sacrifice some of your own ability to detect others.

Experimental servers supposedly breed more dynamic player interactions (ie less KOS) than stable servers. They are often more populated as well.

On any full server, you're going to have your fair share of paramilitary wannabe clans. This is compounded further by the limited number of highly populated servers.

Hope that was helpful