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Part 1: Oreburgh Gym
Introductions
The game begins with an introduction from Professor Rowan who will ask for your name, gender, and the name of your rival, hereafter referred to as Barry. After some dialogue with Barry, the game will tell you to head north.
Upon your encounter outside the tall grass, Rowan will question you and end the dialogue by giving your choice of starter.
Your starter options in Pokemon Platinum are the same as in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. You can choose from Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup. No matter which you choose, your rival will pick the one that is super effective against it.
Rival Battles, Lake Verity, and Route 201
After picking your starter, Barry will challenge you to a battle with his choice. Use your damaging move consistently and he should be no problem.
The intro will lead you towards Lake Verity, which is to the left of your hometown. Enter the woods-like entrance to the northwest and the intro will pick back up with your witness of a strange man. This is Cyrus, but we will return to him later.
After this series of events, make your way back to the point where you got your starter. This time, start running right through the tall grass. Your Pokemon is weak currently, but random encounters should quickly change that. If you need to rest, you can go home or press onward since the next town is not overly far from Twinleaf.
Sandgem Town
Sandgem town is your first real town and is the home of Professor Rowan as well as a Pokemon Center and Shop. Dawn will pick you up at the entrance of the town and walk you through the purpose of your Pokemon journey with Rowan. After this encounter, she will show you how to use the Pokemon Center and Shop.
The two of them leave you with one final task before your journey truly begins: informing your mother of what you're doing. So, head back to Twinleaf Town and do just that. She will give you the journal which is a helpful reminder should you set down the game for long periods of time. It tracks your latest story points. After acquiring this, head back to Sandgem and leave through the northern exit.
Route 202
Route 202 is the first real route with trainer encounters, but before setting out Dawn will show you how to catch Pokemon with a demonstration against a wild Bidoof.
Working your way through this route requires repeated trips back to the Pokemon Center. Or, if you prefer, make your way to the shop and purchase some spare potions. Either way, it is a fairly linear route.
Jubilife City
Working your way north you will enter Jubilife City, as well as a cutscene featuring Dawn. The two of you will receive some advice as well as a Vs Recorder. Follow Dawn's further advice and enter the trainer school. Barry will give you some further guidance and exit towards the first gym. We'll join him soon, but first we have some items to pick up, including an X Attack in the school itself.
Leaving out of the western gate you will enter a transition room with 2 men. One of them is a fishermen, and if you talk to him he will give you an Old Rod.
Then, in Jubilife itself, there is a man standing in the center of the road. Talking to him will introduce the Poketch, which will require you to find 3 clowns standing around the city. One of these is next to the shop, and the other two are standing in front of buildings to the right of the Poketch salesman. Answer their questions (the answer is yes to all three) to receive coupons, and then turn those in to receive your Poketch.
Rival Battle
The Poketch takes up the bottom screen of the DS and will be augmented with new abilities throughout the game. For now, heal your Pokemon, train if you need to, and leave through the eastern exit. Barry is there, and ready for a rival battle.
Barry has his starter up to level 9, as well as a level 7 Starly. If you've caught one or two Pokemon and trained up your starter this battle should be easy. After finishing, make your way east.
Path to Oreburgh
The road to Oreburgh is a straight shot east from Jubilife. Trainers will break up your journey, but since the Pokemon Center in Jubilife is so close don't be afraid to go back and forth to clear the route out. Your goal is the tunnel on the far side of the route, so enter it when you are ready. There are two trainers in this tunnel, both of which specializing in rock-type Pokemon. The first one will give you the HM for Rock Smash, but since we can't use it yet keep it handy until after this gym.
Oreburgh City
On entering Oreburgh City, you will be led to the gym. Talk to Barry, and then head south. Your goal is the bottom of the mines. Keep moving south and battling trainers if you wish until you see Roark between 2 boulders.
Speaking to Roark will move them up to the gym, so head back there and prepare to take on the Oreburgh City Gym.
Oreburgh Gym
Gym #1 Oreburgh City - Leader Roark
#1 Geodude
Type: 
Lv: 12
Ability: Rock Head
Hold Item: N/A
Moves:
Rock Throw
Stealth Rock
#2 Onix
Type:
Lv: 15
Ability: Rock Head
Hold Item: N/A
Moves:
Rock Throw
Screech 
Stealth Rock
#3 Cranidos
Type:
Lv: 14
Ability: Mold Breaker
Hold Item: N/A
Moves:
Headbutt
Pursuit 
Leer
Strategy
Oreburgh Gym is Rock type, and there's two trainers you can face before the gym leader. If you haven't been training your Pokémon outside of trainer battles, you'll probably need to do that before defeating this gym leader, depending on what type of starter you have. If you picked Chimchar you may struggle to defeat Roark, but there are plenty of Pokemon that can learn grass or fighting type moves, including Rock Smash which you are guaranteed to have at this point in the game.
Roark will give you the Coal Badge and TM76 - Stealth Rock upon admitting defeat. You'll now also be able to use Rock Smash outside of battle.
Continue to Eterna Gym
