Good ideas, I hope some dev is watching!
I'm hoping whenever bandits comes you get the weapon they were using, unless a rocket hits them or something equally destructive.
I like the exploration idea but have it that all zombies must be cleared before that area is marked as discovered. This to keep people from running their moped around the map, discovery should also be exploration, not drive by viewing.
If you cleared a certain number of areas, you start getting positive reputation and any perks that might give you.
I would like copper ore in a dangerous biome (forget zinc in the brass, it might work)
I like quests that are not the "Kill x number of y's".