oh, and welcome naznatips. the first few matches will be brutal but you'll learn the ropes quickly.
my best tip for a new player is to host a lan match and just drive/fly/walk around the levels to figure out where the guns/powerups/health are and to find shortcuts and hiding places. Get a good feel for using different guns and driving vehicles. Knowing where guns/vehicles are in your immediate vicinity is a huge asset.
Also looking around by yourself helps you locate where slow-spawning powerups are (like land mines and binoculars) that are frequently taken by other players.
good luck
Demon's Souls Official Thread | Currently playing: Left 4 Dead 2, LittleBigPlanet 2, Magicka