Just play the game. Go out with free loadout, explore the map, don't stress the loot, learn the tropes. Learn emotes early.

Breach and Search everything you can, shoot at every ARC you can. This generates XP, and you need that to level up and unlock useful skills and perks.

One thing you should know - never give up. If you're downed, you still can use the exit. If you manage to hit that red button on the exit at last second of the raid, the game will spare you. Timer will go out, but the big bad rockets will not hit you, and you'll have time to wait for elevetator and to exit.

Once you start bringing the loot and gear home - sell everything, don't hoard it. You need money to expand your stash, and you need to do it several times, until you got at least 160 cells (current max is 280). Go with free loadout, it's good enough for starters, and don't stress losing your gear and loot.

One exception - dog collar, you need one to upgrade your Scrappy, and then you're free to sell it.

Also, Scrappy generates free resources each time you go for a raid. Sell everything except seeds, they are currency for trade with Celeste.

When ready, start collecting resources for your Workshop and items for Quests. You can track those, so when in raid, there'll be eye or a diamond icon near those in inventory.

I believe, you need very baisc resources for building initial Workshop stations. But upgrading them and getting items for upcoming Quests require some planning.

Also, you might wanna collect seeds. Celesta has great barter deals for those, some of the materials are needed for Workshop/Quest/Crafting, and some items are needed in raid.

You might wanna stack up on those Raider Hatch Keys. You can buy one from Shani for 9000 coins once in a while. You will use these to get out with Quest items and when you go for loot. This key allows you to "call taxi" instead of using public bus with junkies and randoms, if you catch my drift.

Every item and resource in the game has small tip, to which category it belongs. So you look closely at what loot you need to advance your Workshop stations, for your Quests, and for your Crafting.

Write those down in several columns - for example, in column "Medical" you write down "Bioscanner, Antiseptic, Syringe".

Then, you Inspect maps. You can find those icons on different locations. So you can plan and strategize, where you wanna go, and what items you gonna be looking for.

This also helps you with your loadout, once you collect one instead of using Free one. Say, if you gonna visit red locations, there's high chance of PvP. Take ringer and detectors, Medium shield and Combat augmentations, and brace yourself for unexpected.

If you need to visit big facility - you may wanna take several Ziplines, to get on top and in the windows.

If you're going for ARC loot - you wanna pack heavy hitters and Adrenaline for staying mobile when they come for you. Also, smoke, just in case.

You might wanna place defib into your "safe pocket", just in case you down someone friendly, or met someone who was knocked down by ARC.

Once you find items and resources you need, go to the exfil. There's nothing to it, no reason to stay in raid and risk your loot. Again, don't stress about losing your loot, there's plenty of it. But you don't want to waste time and effort, especially at times when you had to go across whole map for your destination, in order to find that one last piece. Be smart. Don't be greedy.

And be friendly at exfil. People you see there are caring something valuable for them, that has no use for you in most cases. It's a Prisoner's Dilemma - you may betray and make profit, but it will be barely more, then what you get if you both trust each other. And betrayal is risky - there's people who eager to help the weak, there's ARC that gets alerted and may stalk you (and being overencumbered by loot doesn't help to run away), and then there's karma.

If you learned to not stress about losing the loot by now - you might as well learn to not stress about getting one.

Remember to enjoy the game, and don't sweat it.

Stay safe out there, Raider. See you Topside.