As the title says, I am new here and totally lost. I've got as far as this website which I am having some difficulty navigating, and can't find out how to actually play the game. Maybe I'm being too hasty here and things will all become clear once I've created my character?
If that is the case, I have another question anyway... there seem to be a lot of RPG forums here, the RPG centre and the EZboard RPG place, and the White Scenarios Board, and possibly more I haven't spotted. Could someone spare the time to explain the difference between them to a brain-frazzled newb? I thank anyone for their time.
The non-White Scenario EZBoard isn't really used anymore.
The Meeting Hall RPs on the RPBoard here are just for fun and character background. The White Scenarios are XP-gaining scenarios, though you don't lose assets or die. The Admin Scenarios in the RPG Centre here are also XP gaining, and you can lose assets as well as die, I believe.
Once you have a character it will be easier for you to ask more direct questions as well as figure out how to play on your own. :)
Just a suggestion: Join a faction. Don't join it because of the money, join it because it's what you (or your character) want to do. Sometimes the poorest factions can be some of the most enjoyable.