First and foremost: Welcome to the Matrix!  Always good to see new operatives jacking in and joining our little world.

It's no surprise your feeling lost in the Megacity (just look at the name...Megacity ) as there are many, many things to do, places to see, people to visit, and silly little NPCs to slap around.  Still, what you might want to check out is truly going to be based on your interests. 

• "I want to beat some stuff up with my newfound powers?"  Megacity has an ample amount of Exile gangs looking for trouble.  Each neighborhood has it's own set of unique NPCs (although you may find some similar NPCs in more than one neighborhood, as some hold control over more than one specific area).  NPCs can vary in difficulty in both level and ability, and generally speaking, each neighborhood will provide you with a different level range of NPCs to test yourself against.  The districts further separate these NPCs, based on level ranges, having the lowest NPCs in Richland, middle in International/Westview, and the highest levels in the Downtown area.  Missions also have you covered in the way of combat.  Assassination missions in particular usually give the player several enemies to take down.  Mission difficulty will also set the level ranges for mission-specific enemies.  Easy, is going to be a level or so below you, Medium at equal level, and Hard and one level higher than you...so it's quite easy to tailor your own mission experience using these settings as well as the variety of mission styles provided.

• "I want to whet my appetite for the Matrix's continuing storyline!"  Check your organizations Critical Missions as they become available for the most recent information on what's been going on (at least from your organization's perspective).  But what if you want to see the storyline from the start...from the first Critical Missions in the game?  No problem, go to any of the organization-based Archive Brokers to purchase 'mission tickets' that allow you to experience older, 'archived,' Critical Missions for that organization.  They're sorted by chapter.subchapter.mission (so 1.2.3 would be the 3rd mission in the 2nd subchapter of chapter 1...might sound confusing at first, but you'll eventually understand it).  Cool thing is, if you purchase one of these tickets (say 1.1.1 for the Zion organization), after completing the each of the missions, another ticket will drop in your inventory (so make SURE you have inventory space for it, at least few to keep the system happy) so you can continue on to the next mission right away!  That'll continue until you complete the subchapter, then you'll get a token.  Save these puppies for nifty rewards you can get after completing a certain amount of these missions.  Check this thread for some more detailed info if that tickles your fancy.

• "Just Critical Missions?  Nothing else?  But I want MORE!!!"  No problem there.  Live Events (see link for the Live Events forum) will provide an enjoyable opportunity an interactive experience in the storyline.  These events give players the opportunity to involve themselves directly in the Matrix storyline, giving a much more immersed feel.  Also, you may just have the opportunity to shake hands with some of the main characters in the storyline!  Have an desire to learn about all the interesting sub-plots and side stories?  Check out the various Neighborhood Contacts for unique missions.  These contacts are Exiles that have their own thing going on in the Matrix...and they're looking for some able-bodied redpills to help them out (in exchange for some experience, information, and the like...of course).  These missions not only act as fun breaks from the sometimes repetitive standard missions, but also give interesting insights into the underworld of the Megacity and it's players.  Want background on a particular area?  Or just some perspective on the Megacity map?  Check your Atlas (semi-colon key by default, I think)!  It not only provides a much more holistic view of the Megacity, segmeting by neighborhoods>districts>the whole city, it also provides an intersting summary/history of each neighborhood/district and it's inhabitants.

• "I want loot!  And not just the same old redundant set of chaps I get from every other NPC!"  Got you covered.  Check out the Exile Hideouts as your progressing in your levels through the Megacity.  These are bases for some of the more interesting and sometimes lethal Exiles in the Matrix.  They are multi-level, dungeon style areas with NPCs of increasing level as you make your way down each level of the hideout.  In the final area of each hideout, usually just before the Teleporter room (a room with a phone in it that, if used, will take you back to the surface after you're done in the hideout) there is the Exile Boss that runs the joint.  These bosses are usually surrounded by a few guards and are higher than the other NPCs encountered in the hideout.  They have a chance to drop unique (sometimes valuable) items that players can loot (Click Me for a nice list of said items).  After you take out the Boss, take out his guards as well (if you haven't done so already), otherwise he might not respawn properly for either yourself or the next person who wants to beat him up (respawn time is approximately 20 minutes -- yay for camping!! :mrgreen.  "Any other places?"  Why yes...the Constructs!  Constructs are PvP-enabled maps separate from the Matrix's live simulation that allow you to prove yourself against unique and potentially lethal enemies and a chance for some nifty loot.  The constructs are separated by player-level range, allowing only those in that range access with the proper book equipped.  To get a book, head to your organization's Archive Brokers (Midian Park East - Machine Archivist, Moriah Projects East - Zion Archivist, Appolyon Northwest - Merovingian Archivist) and pick one up.  You'll notice they're separated by level range and each have a unique name attached to them (like Yuki, Ashencourte, Sakura, etc.).  After getting an appropriate book, equip it in your Data slot (just above your weapon slot on your Inventory screen) and waltz over to the nearby Archivist Proxy.  Stand near him for a bit and he'll eventually send all players in range with a book equipped to their respective constructs.  Each construct has 3 types of enemies...the Lower enemies are near the bottom rung of the level range required for the construct, the Middle enemies are near the middle of the rung, and the Boss is around 5 levels HIGHER than the maximum level (10 levels higher in a couple cases I believe...been a while since I've been to most of the constructs so forgive me).  These enemies each have a chance to drop unique construct items, that in some cases are quite valuable (here's a list of said items...oh, and in case you haven't figured it out yet..MxO Resource rocks! :thumbup.  Not only are these sometimes good areas for nice loot, they're also quite beautiful in design and provide a nice change of scenery from the Megacity's dense metropolis atmosphere.

• "Me want PvP!"  Can do!  PvP can be found in a few places.  First off, you have the popular hardlines (Mara C, Tabor W...depends on server, time of day, etc.) at which people usually take part in some form of OvO (Organization VS Organization) PvP.  OvO PvP, however, is probably something you're not going to be able to participate in, with enjoyment anyways, until after you get in the higher levels (between 40-50).  Dueling and the constructs are pretty much your PvP-havens if you want such an experience (not forgetting the Hostile server though, where after lvl16, you're always flagged for OvO PvP).  It is though, somtimes harder for some to find PvP at lower levels when compared to higher levels...but still, you can probably find some around your level that wouldn't mind a good brawl.

• "I want some other questions answered and/or some help on something...where to go!?"  Aside from the good old-fashioned method of just asking politely for some help around a group of players (which sometimes works believe it or not...some of us do indeed like to help others ), there's always here: the forums!  Particularly the Redpill Rescue section, which is dedicated to helping out new players.

• "Any other tips?"  Enjoy the game first and foremost!  Have fun in the discovering of new and fun things to do in the Megacity.  Talk with people, make friends, and get involved!  This game is a community and as such, we like to have fun together.  Hook up with a faction that has what you're looking for!  Check the Recruitment forums for your particular server (in the case of Syntax, it's here).  A good faction will go a long, long way in adding to your enjoyment of the game.

So, once again, I welcome you to our little world and hope you can find enjoyment in it's coded boundaries!