I am playing on level 1, my ammo is gone, all weapons are broken so I keep chopping enemies with a wrench. And this is on normal. I keep walking around a lot(this game map is not very informative, I keep getting lost) so I waste my ammo on respawning NPCs. Does it get better in the later game? I am bored playing with melee weapon.

You need to read this thread: http://www.gog.com/forum/system_shock_2/do_i_get_the_mechanics_wrong

Listen to the logs you pickup, they will hint or outright tell you where to go. Then use the map. The UI also has a "notes" section that is basically a quest/journal

For basic pipe wielding hybrids try to conserve your ammo and use the wrench. It can help to carry mutiple pistols/shotguns at the beginning as you dont have (m)any maintenance tools, or even the maintenance skill at all.

Explore EVERY container/desk/dead body. Hacking level 2 is very useful for unlocking the security crates, which often contain ammo.

Switch ammo types to best suit the enemy you are fighting. ie use the shotguns pellets for fleshy targets, and the pistols armor piercing for heavy robots or turrets. Sometimes its better to run away and hide than to fight it out

If you're simply exploring or lost without progressing the game objectives/quests or without finding helpful items, you will easily become low on resources. Consider reloading an earlier save if you've shot 2 dozen bullets without any real benefit

I thought I was the only one having problems with the map. :P
About ammo, you should try not wasting, they're not easy to find (I don't know how it is in normal difficulty, maybe they're not so scarce).
And I agree with you, this game is difficult :/

How can anyone have trouble with the map? It's a simple top-down affair, with all corridors and your current location clearly indicated.

Not to mention everything is clearly labeled!

Degrading weapons can be really frustrating.

On the risk of sounding blasphemous, you may consider disabling it by creating user.cfg file in game root folder and adding:
gun_degrade_rate 0

I do not know what the default value is, but I know that the degrade rate does not have to be set to zero, it can be a different value, not as extreme as the original one (e.g. 0.3).

As for the map - modern games spoiled us with quest arrows, hud indicators and map waypoints, exactly designating the current objective. In System Shock 2 there are no such things, so I suppose that could be considered a problem if someone is used to having objective waypoints at all times.

Re: the map - if you click the "minimap" checkbox it puts a local crop of the map into the top right corner of the main HUD.

Beyond that, if you get lost hit tab, click the button with the log on it and go to notes.

Yeah you have to remember this isn't Call of Duty. That wrench is your best friend in this game. Using guns is pretty pointless when you can just beat them to death. Using some strategy and common sense is the way to do things. Focusing solely on weapons is very clearly a terrible thing to do in the game.

As far as the camera goes... how can anyone have a problem with it. It's standard, well labelled and easy to use.

There are about ~20 'areas' in the game. (not levels, but areas between which you need to pass a loading screen)

Of those ~20 areas, you should be using your wrench for the first 3 to 4 of those areas. All of "level 1" - which is 2 areas on deck 2 Med/Sci - and the first part of the third area, which is on deck 1 Engineering. Once you get to the second area on level 1 (shuttle bays) only then should you be really need to start using ranged weapons. It's bad to use ranged weapons too early for many reasons.

-There aren't many in the game
-There isn't much ammo yet and you can't afford to buy more
-You can't afford to buy maintenance tools to keep guns repaired

The only thing to do is to use your wrench in these first few areas while you collect and save ammo. Even once you start using a ranged weapon (like against the small robots that explode in your face) you should still wrench down hybrids.

Later in the game you may want to consider putting points into energy weapons, and keeping a couple laser handguns in your inventory. If you set them to overcharge they can usually kill a hybrid in one shot. The beauty of it is that they don't need ammo, you just charge them at a recharge station. (I often carry 3 so I have enough ammo to finish an area.) Meanwhile I am stockpiling my ammo for later in the game when recharge stations are not as common, or I stockpile for enemies that are energy resistant like spiders.

So don't be too tempted to stop using the wrench early. Remember you can press and hold M1 to 'prime' the wrench and wind up - then release M1 to swing the weapon. This is faster and helps you beat the enemy to a swing. Remember once you hit them they are delayed in their swing, so getting the first swing in is crucial.

About the only time I stop using the wrench on a regular basis is on deck 4. There are too many enemies that you need to deal with at range (especially assassins) and so by that time you can put the wrench away. Keep it handy though, you never know when you might need it.

Sorry for asking, but why clog up your inventory with three laser pistols instead of just one pistol PLUS some batteries which can be stacked in only one inventory square?

Probably in case they break? :\

Ehm...."Maintainance Tool"? ;)

So:
3 Pistols = 9 inventory places.
1 Pistol + stack of batteries + stack of maintainance tools = 5 inventory places.

Afaik it's quicker to switch between different laser pistols(when one is drained/when one degrades) than to reload one by using a battery or to maintain one using a tool. :|

(Also it isn't very economical to keep maintaining one's weapons if one has limited nanites and/or a low maintenance skill.)

Please tell me you're not one of those people who carry all chemical components with them at all times. Inventory can be tight sometimes (carrying HazMat suit around doesn't help), but it's not that bad to waste (very) limited resources just for slightly increased convenience.