Looking for guidance during my 10 day trial

Arioc

 So I decided to give the game a try and so far am slowly learning the ropes. I'm now level 4 in my starter town and have not yet spent any of my AP (though I am not sure why, everyone says not to but isn't clear why I shouldn't). I'm trying to figure out if I want to go rifle, pistol, or melee but without seeing high end gear I just dunno what appeals to me. Sometimes just having an NPC standing around with impressive items can really get a newbies fire going to pursue that path to look like that npc.

So I've gone a bit of crafting, made some ammo for my crossbow and some bandages. Picked up cure poison and disease to deal with the scorpions who keep poisoning me.

I could use some help to direct me, right now I'm kinda meandering around doing noobie town quests but feel like I need a sense of direction, or at least a local goal to work towards. Any input would be welcome.

Oh also, there are NPC factions which as I understand it unlock mutations if your faction with them is high enough. What other benefits are there to aligning with a faction? Can I be hardcore rifle and still work a faction if they're melee? When I pick the faction from my AP planner it seems to urge me to kit my character in a certain way though I don't really know if that's a good idea to follow the planner.

Any advice is welcome.