Press M to bring up the map - move the cursor over the city and you will see some dollar signs. Hover over these and you will find vendors.
Crafting revolves around collecting the resources and then making them from researched blueprints. Blueprints are purchased from the two people by Rachet (Tesla and some other bloke). You then research these at the manufacturing station by Rachet and then you make the item using the researched blueprint.
You then equip the stuff just around the corner from the thing with the arms sticking out. Press and hold E (everywhere you see a hand press and hold E)
You only need on character who can change between classes without cost.
There is no death penalty.
Press P to see the progression and unlocks for each battleframe at each level.
Some reading below:
Firefall Guide
Firefall FAQ
Firefall Links
Firefall Wiki
In my experience: Engineer is the best for PVE. Once you get to level 10 you can deploy a turret, health station and a forcefield. So you can plant your thumper in a gully block one end with the forcefield with a turret by it. The you can cover the other approach supported by the repair station. If I think of anything else I'll post it. Anything anyone is unsure of let me know. I'll be on later but log on throughout the day to update my crafting list so I am not being rude if I don't respond to ingame messages before tonight I am purely not at the keyboard and won't notice.
Oh I forgot the most important things.
/accept (to join squad)
/invite NAME (to invite to squad)
/acceptfriend NAME
/friend NAME
/joinleader - to join squad leader's instance
oh and the most important one .... type /dance