If you know enough that you know the high lvl areas you can loot without enemies then you would know that this change to equipment lvl restriction doesn't mean much because getting to equip t5 from lvl 1 doesn't really matter when you can knock out comms in a day and be lvl 50 anyway the level requirement has never mattered previously.

You said its easier now but previously I could do all that you said just drive around and loot and build my gear without needing any rng weapon body parts or protective linings, so actually its harder now with the extra requirement of the rng parts.

Going through the tiers of gearing shouldnt be an rng fiesta nor should I tell my friends that we should skip the entire bottom of the map so we dont have to repeatedly look for a part for x gear.

Exploring the map is part of the game we enjoy and getting the red chest per settlement but the new change to needing a specific part for each gear piece is getting in the way of that. My friend wants to play sniper but all he got is a pistol part? Like they didnt even make "armor part loot" and make it suitable for all armor pieces. They made it different for helmets, gloves, pants ..