Regarding #2:

There's so many resources available, you just have to look.
Copper nodes are more as just the part you see sticking out of the ground. Dig around it using a pickaxe and you'll find a large boulder having up to 100 copper ore. Which is enough for one player.
Move 2-3 screens away from that location in the BF and you will find a couple more nodes.
I've had games where I found 15-20 copper ore nodes in a single BF at a single island. Which is more than enough to supply multiple players.
Tin is a bit more scarce, but given you need less tin as copper to create bronze, it's still enough. Especially since you won't need bronze armour anyway.

There's also plenty full wood, stone, iron, black metal and whatever other resource you need. All you need to do is keeping your eyes open.

The only troublesome moment with a full server is when starting and all needing some food. But the moment you're able to kill boars or deers and using their meat as a food source, it will make live a lot easier.

So if one's short on resources, one's doing something wrong.

Thorin :)