Sorry if this has been asked before.
I haven't played this game before. I made an account with the intention of downloading the game several years ago but never got around to downloading it. I've tried and failed to make forum accounts because I couldn't remember my old one, but recently I finally guessed the correct username and was able to download the game on my computer and sign in.
I'm able to create a character and view my characters (which are displayed on a background of pure black, which I think isn't right either), but once I try to play the game I can only see my character, the chat box, and the menu buttons. There's no map (there is a little navigator arrow), no world, no conversations in the chat to indicate that other people might be around me, and no other characters. It's simply my character floating in a black void. I can walk, fly, change camera views, insert chat, and do everything else... but I have no idea whether or not my actions are seen by others, or if I'm just alone in a nonexistent place.
I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not connected to any server, and that the worlds aren't loading. I also have a number of presets turning up blank on my character if I try to use them.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.