I’m really trying here

I’m a huge stalker fan! I got into the zone late in the game with stalker 2. Getting ready to play the OG 3. Thing is, I’m really having a hard time hitting the learning curve. I made it to the swamp on my most recent play through. I’ve only been able to acquire some broken guns so my pistol has to do. Any tips would be great. Also if there are any difficulty changes I can make as a first time player.