TLD can be extremely difficult!

[UpUpAway95]

An obviously auger-drilled hole in the ice would still be a sign of human habitation and would still likely break with the theme of the area.  Fishing is not really needed right in the zone anyways.  The could, instead, pop a fishing hut onto the pond in Mountain Town on the pond closest to the entrance to the transition cave and people can then quickly pop out of the zone to craft and fish at the same time (since exiting the zone to craft would still be necessary).

[Bean]

Setting: I don’t save games, and I don’t edit them.  I do remember a lot about where things spawn. 
 

Loper is several games in one.  When you spawn (always in a difficult zone) you must get matches and/or get to an indoors zone before you freeze to death, which can happen pretty fast!   Try to collect some sticks and reeds on your way to such things.   
 

second game is finding food and clothing to keep you going.  This is also tricky, sometimes, as loot can be ridiculously rare.  
 

The Warming Up buff is critical for these early days.  Make yourself hot drinks and chain torches/fires from one place to another.  It helps to keep moving and don’t backtrack.  Once you have found a hacksaw and a hammer, head to a forge.  I prefer Desolation Point because of all the indoor zones, plentiful coal, and plentiful scrap metal.  Try to have gatherered a bunch of cat tails to eat while you forge your knife and axe and arrow heads.  Get at least 20 arrow heads.  
 

the next game is making bow and arrows and hunting for food.  I like CH for this as game is plentiful and there are lots of open spaces and loot.  This is also where you manufacture some leather clothing, and a wolf skin coat.  After forty days, I finished all this and left CH with 24 °C of clothing.  There is enough meat left there to eat for two months.  
 

then the game is exploring and finding stuff to upgrade your wardrobe.  I headed to Timberwolf mountain summit first, which was frankly disappointing.  Then I went to ash canyon and got the technical pack and crampons as well as more loot.  
 

now I’m in Milton nosing around for loot.  HRV will be next.   Basically I move through every zone gearing up slowly and establishing bases.  Eventually I’ll return to CH with the best loot and settle in.  
 

 

[Serenity]

Quote

and chain torches/fires from one place to another.

People keep mentioning that all the time, but it's really not necessary. Sure, it helps and it conserves some matches here and there. But it's not something you absolutely must do to survive. Interloper isn't that hard and allows for multiple approaches.

What regions you visit on what order, or if you are stationary or more nomad-like also comes down to personal preference. Plenty of options.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Serenity