I'm not misunderstanding you at all. Instead of talking about why you can't get into a game and what you think you need to do et cetera, just do it. Instead of setting up test games to get used to the interface, just start playing the game. I start a new game the day it comes out and for better or worse that is my save until the next iteration of the series comes out. You idealise the game far too much, that's your problem.