So I just booted up Don't starve for the first time and bumbled around a bit. While I kind of enjoy the game so far I feel well... directionless and not really sure how to proceed.

Can anyone give a general layout of how you want to proceed? I know you need to build fires for night and gather food but there have to be grander long term goals right? I built science machine but didn't have access to much right yet. Also how the heck do you get a bigger inventory? And does chester just stay stationary or what? I threw some items in him and figured he would follow me to no avail.

So many questions.

You could watch the Giant Bomb coverage of the game. There's at least two videos.

@jjweatherman: Yeah I have but the Quick-look was done with a beta version and Brad didn't exactly show the keenest of play on Unprofessional Fridays.

Fair enough. Although I believe the chest follow thing was explained in the Unprofessional Friday video, so there's still some good starting tips. Seems to me that a lot of that game's appeal would be discovering the crazier things for yourself.

@demoskinos:

I've made it about 90 days so far with the Librarian character. This is a sandbox game so there's not much direction, beyond exploring, base building, and eventually going to another world or entering the adventure mode. Its common to die a lot in the beginning. I actually recommend it so you can get the XP and open up new characters. My favorite is Wickerbottom. She has a tech bonus that allows for easier access to the shadow manipulator crafting items. There's certainly a lot to learn with the game, mainly because getting the right crafting components is often dangerous and arduous. This guide helped me a lot at the beginning (link).

Basically the first thing to do is find a place to set up base camp, ideally near rabbits, beefalo, and pig men. You will eventually need a lot of manure, wheat, twigs, and rabbits to make it through winter. After day 50 there are frequently hell hound attacks. Fighting these packs lead to two forest burning down completely in my game. It took an entire season for me to replant the trees. You eventually also beginning running into monsters like spider queens, treemen, and some unbeatable winter monster that I'm bracing for.

My larger goal has been collecting the five "things" lying around the map since I think they open a portal to the next world. I'm also trying to amass components to build an ice staff and marble suit along with provisions to enter the caves.

To answer your questions specifically:

Can anyone give a general layout of how you want to proceed? Don't explore the map too much, pick a good spot for your first base camp, get enough rocks to make a axe, pick, backpack, fire pit, then science machine, shovel, and chest. Begin setting rabbit traps, lots of them (two or three per hold) and saving the live rabbits in the chest along with wheat and twigs. Basically prepare for winter, it starts at day ~20.

I know you need to build fires for night and gather food but there have to be grander long term goals right? Get to the next world, eventually go into adventure mode, although you need to find the door to access it. Your larger goal should be to craft a meat effigy, amulet, or find a touchstone, so if you die you can resurrect.

I built science machine but didn't have access to much right yet. Also how the heck do you get a bigger inventory? Inventory doesn't get bigger. You can craft a backpack and a larger pack down the line that encumbers your movement. Make do with the space you have and build chest to hide your stuff. If you die. You don't want to trek back to a hazard and retrieve your stuff. Store your valuables at camp, keep only the stuff you need in inventory (enough to make a torch at any moment, start a fire, heal, and eat).

And does chester just stay stationary or what? Id threw some items in him and figure he would follow me to no avail. You need the eye bone in your inventory, or to find it. He follows the eye bone. Although I eventually left him at my camp. When monster attack they go for him first and if he dies he drops all your stuff. Its good to have him when your amassing provisions but I don't keep him around at all times.

I personally found the Don't Starve wiki really helpful and watch the Let's Play series with Sips. These taught me a lot about the game.