when you game starts up on the main screen (the one where you click your game to play ) there is a +new game click that a drop down menu will show with the world/s you have then just click the world you want to play with tick accept and off you go also if you have your sims saved to the libiary you can just choose them to play with in your game or make new sims added allink to images if you need it
http://s1147.photobucket.com/user/rumbutter/library/start%20new%20game?sort=9&page=1
can't help with the other part of your question sorry
