The first thing I’d recommend is try to figure out which genre to play first. I think cyberpunk is way different from DND which is also has different rules than pathfinder. Warhammer 40k is also a. Tabletop game that is more combat oriented and no role playing.

Starting a new group could be hard. Some games shops have play areas for people and I guess they sort of rent space to regular and adhoc groups. I know of three shops which not only sell games, but are setup for people to play there on a Thurs night etc. repeat sales of drinks and may a small charge for the table and game sets could be used from a communal library.

Some games are role playing heavy and others are combat focused. In some groups the DM is always the DM but in others they take turns. There might be a long campaign where the players control the same character from novice to expert/demigod or one shots could be used to fill in some nights, eg dm might be a teacher and one shots are run on school holiday weeks if the group meets.

I would say the trick is to find a group that’s in the same page as you. This can be assisted by having a :Session zero where players meet and discuss what they want from the game so that someone who wants to play a more role playing game and want to actually try and talk their way out of being robbed by bandits instead of ‘rolk a d20. 3, everyone draws weapons and combat begins’.

The aim would be that everyone at the table looks forward to sessions and has fun, and as for rules there’s always ‘the rule of cool’. Where the DM can ignore what’s in the book if it fits with what the players expect. Players jumping off a cliff to escape a fight might not necessarily die from fall damage if it fits the story line, however if a player is about to do something overly careless, the DM might ask the question ’ are you sure you want to do that?’ and the correct thing to do is stop and reconsider as that phrase is usually a warning of the character will probably die if you do.