Little Addendum:
Charming animals...don't kill it! Just target a 'green named animal'. Then select the charm animal skill (you must be a rnager to do this). You then have to wait a little time whist the skill works, during which time the animal is attacking you. When the skill finishes the animal is green again and is yours.
He will only follow you around if you have charm animal in your skill bar. If he dies he will resurrect everytime you zone to a new area.
If you get fed up of him you have to find a tamer. They are normally just outside a main city (I think there's one outside Shing Jea Monastery) and will take the animal of you. Then you can find a bigger and meaner one to tame.
map maker: No such thing. However if you press 'u' whilst adventuring you'll get a handy mini map. If you press 'm' you'll get the whole world map. It will only show the areas you have been though.
In PvP you need to win battles to earn faction points, not having played PvP yet I have no idea where the dude is to cash them in but he should be fairly evident. If you have a PvE (role playing)character any skills you unlock there will also be avaiable for any PvP charcaters.
As to how much 1mill of SWG money is worth I have no idea. unless you do a trade with someone I will assume that selling the money and/or buying money in GW is against the gaming agreements. however a bit of fighting in the roleplaying universe will give some money to start with.
Tips: Salavge anything you don't need to start with. You'll need the stuff then to make armor. Try to sell any coloured weapons as they are magically embued and could be worth more in 'trade' with real players.
Where possible try to go it alone or with little henchmen help as possible, this means you get more things dropping off killed enemies.
laters
Kallick