Thanks for the invite but I'm having fun alone trying to escape from crazed flashlight wielding bandits. They are crafty, I tell yah, while I was looting this gas station(?) a nearby flashlight bandito smacked me in the back of my skull and it was lights out for good. I wasn't aware anyone might be near because #1, it was dark out and #2 I assumed the nearby predators would make themself aware by keeping a source of illumination on them.
Also I met a guy with a shotgun. He didn't kill me. It seems in hardcore mode the biggest threat are the flashlight banditos.
So I've learned during the darker hours to keep my flashlight off if I want to remain undetected. Yay for common sense.