It's fun! You never know whats going to happen. I am explorer - I like to find out everything and learn. Once the map itself becomes less a mystery to explore, you explore human behavior.
I played hero a long time on mod, always having that hero skin. Spent the time exploring, learning the map, learning the gear.
Played a long time in SA public just straight killin' people and fighting hackers with whatever weapons we could get, living urban only in whatever city we spawned.
Also good while in SA Pub sniping 700+ meters only. You may think its cowardly but it was challenging as hell to make shots that far. It is so fun to observe and watch...learning the routes people take in and out of places, whats their vulnerable juncture as the approach a building to loot. Learn a dozen spots around a specific area to snipe from, and learn to move between then undetected, firing then disappearing to the next. Also, watching as two groups engage each other - then finding that perfect moment to drop several in the chaos of the gunbattle they don't even know you were there.
Started on the colony trying to hunt, trap, trade (which I still do). Now I have our colony of friends I try to play the "negotiator". The thrill of running up to a group, risking everything, relying on your buddies to cover you and knowing they well may not be able to is exciting. But most of all learning how to get in and get out of the most difficult circumstances - armed, hostile people unwilling to talk and possibly ready to fire on you at any moment. It's one thing to get KoS'd (opportunity killed), its another to try and negotiate with someone who knows you are there and may well want to kill you with forethough. I dunno, its intriguing finding out organically in game how each group speaks, interacts, and reacts. Judging by board posts and facebook rants is not an accurate way, I like to meet everyone in game to learn about them. But its hard to learn about groups like TKT and the Taters when they aren't really willing to talk, and you learn that the hard way...challenging, thrilling and fun.
Live every life like it was they day before a character wipe.