I'm a hoarder and base builder. Find a good building on a quiet edge of town. Fortify it, and go on daily raids.

Normal everything, except no zombie respawn, bites only transmission, and instant death upon transmission.

I play pretty much the same. Insane pop, no respawn, power and elec shut off in the first 2 months, 2 hour long days, common loot spawns, but I leave transmission and migration the same. I like the feeling of using a lot of weapons and ammo just to feel somewhat safe in a new area and finding more than just a can of beans and a baking tray.

Gotta live fast, drift (into a tree) hard, die young and leave a pretty Zomboid behind

Poorly

Very nomadic. Buddy and I grab some vans and fill them with everything we need, building up our skills along the way. Then we die gloriously in louisille.

I like a lonely roleplay. Like someone else said, I like to be a nomad. I play with a lot of mods (too many to list/count), and a couple that go hand-in-hand and are imo essential for RP or other loot goblins are the battle bus mod, and the RV interiors mod. I've yet to actually figure out how to properly modify the vehicles or even repair any, but I like the option of being able to absolutely trick out a school bus into a mobile zombie killing fortress.

I also have a lot of mods that add new fun gear and random objects to collect, like one that adds Pokemon merch (cards, plushies, binders, lunchboxes, figurines, etc.), another that adds tons of diecast cars you can collect and place, and a couple that add other little toy or trinket objects so I can satisfy my hoarder cravings.

And still I have more kids that add new map locations like Raven Creek (I think, it's been a hot minute since I've played), and Xonic's Mega Mall. There's also other mods I have that add new zombie characters you can find and kill in the world.

I have moved towards playing apocalypse to experience playing the "intended" experience as it stops the temptation to fiddle with settings that might give me an advantage

If I set the parameters, I end up feeling like I am cheating myself of the experience as I do tend to fiddle with settings to make stuff I am not too familiar with easier ( stuff like car maintainence and fuel supply)

Mods that I add is mainly cosmetic stuff like true actions, authentic Z, fillibuster for cars and stuff that expands the variety of loot for variety sake.

I like to live a survivor in the woods style, find a house and secure it and convert it in something that can support all my needs and from which I can plan out raids on the nearby town.

Unfortunately, doing that does limit myself as I end up playing Zomboid Valley and neglect zomboid genocide.

If I would modify, I feel the mod that allows a % of zomboids being runners keeps one on their toes, adjust expanded helicopter events to sometimes to keep the feel of life around, bite transmission with some time to "perform final rites" before succumbing, a 14 days zomboid respawn timer with a small respawn %, smaller bunching sizes so they spread out, a biofuel mod, skill increase speed x3 and 2 hour days.

Hopefully with .42 and beyond, it can open the doors for time-appropriate self sustainability with mods picking up where it might be missing.

Still new, but finding my bearings.

Apocalypse base settings, bites only, insane pop, insanely rare loot for all categories except nature's abundance (for foraging), two hour days, and go as trigger happy as I can manage, never staying put for too long. Guns with 6+ aim are insanely good IMO. Also I kite zomboids away when I need to rest lol. It feels epic to kite a hoard in the hundreds.

Also, for mods I only really use the spawn mods. Like, spawn in a random building on the map. I think it is called Pillow's Spawns. I love spawning in the area between West (Best) Point and Louisville. Gives me two great directions.