Every festival since the Beta-Launch in March, 2002, AW citizens and scribes have knocked themselves out to create tours of the ancient world, its temples, its neighborhoods, its cultures, and its graphics – so many, in fact, that most of us now only dimly remember just where that great “play” was about Horus, or the fantastic climb up the Andes. A team has been put together to collect all the links for the worlds, and we hope by September 1 to have a home-page link where, in one easy location, you can tour to your heart’s content. If you want to help with the project, contact Heraklia Aelius – and help bring our ‘lost’ gems back to one place.

Getting started is often the most difficult part of any project. Writing roleplay, or participating in an interactive story, is no different from other start-ups in that regard. Now, let's assume that you've been reading around AW and you have found a story that "kind of interests you." (I phrase it that way because it's what people usually say. "I'm kind of interested in your story.") How do you go from being "interested" to being a "participant" in a group at AW?

First, you must accept the fact that people learn to write, they are not born writers. Everybody—from Shakespeare to Isaac Asimov and beyond—had to learn how to do it. So either get over your fear of "what will people say?" or else create a new identity that nobody knows so you can screw up anonymously. (You'd be amazed who all at AW has started that way!) Second, you need to accept the fact that if you want to do historically apt story writing, you are going to have to do research. Most readers at AW don't expect a history chronicle in a fiction or roleplay group. But it's just silly to depict a Sumerian eating a hotdog with sauerkraut and going to a baseball game. The Sumerians undoubtedly had snack food and participated in sporting events. If you want to write a story involving a Sumerian snack-food-addict/sports-fiend, you really need to figure out what he would have eaten and watched (or played).

Finally, "just do it" as the commercial slogan runs. Write a post in a group. If it's bad… write a better one next time. If you need help, ask somebody whose writing you admire if he or she will help you. Or drop in at Quill and Parchment, a wonderful group at AW that is essentially an ongoing writer's workshop. You can read without joining, if you are at your group limits. There are plenty of suggestions there and you can find other people who are interested in the same things that interest you. Or better yet—you can find people interested in different things than you are and expand your horizons!!

We're aware of our patient members working through the recent glitches in log-ins and are grateful for your understanding. AW has sometimes seemed caught in a "perfect storm" for the past two months - occasional problems with our own server mixed with a series of security patches with Internet Explorer that can only be fixed on THEIR end. Apparently, using either Opera or Firefox works well in bug-fighting, but we'll keep you posted on developments. The Divine Jot has been working on the problem, but some of our technical issues apparently derive from dear Bill Gates. Thanks for your patience!

Sankira Qin has been busy working with volunteers in numerous worlds and groups to finally get the AncientWorlds Guide (a/k/a "the Newbie guide") revamped, up and running by the fall. Notices are up at The Curia, Crossroads, and elsewhere to try to create an up-to-date guide for the new AW cive, everything from decorating your domus to work-arounds for stray bugs. Stay tuned!

Lost? Don't know where to go? Although we are revamping and updating our "Beginner's Guide" to AncientWorlds, in the meantime, there's a wealth of good information here.

We also have our global 'Newbie' help board and welcome area: Welcoming Newcomers.

For avatars, homesite decor resources or code help check out Arachne's Web HelpCenter & FAQ.