### The Controls: An Overview

- To use the Mouse, select commands from the menus, and click in the Command Console.

- To use the Keyboard, use the menu command-key equivalents and the Command Console key equivalents. This is the preferred method. All commands are accessible from the keyboard and it's generally faster and easier than using the mouse, especially when you get into a battle situation. In fact, you may find that with practice you can close the Command Console window altogether, and run the game completely from the keyboard.
  The U.S.S. Enterprise is a large, complex vessel; as such, there are many different controls. Most of what you'll need when you're first getting started, such as Shields, Fire Phasers, Engage and Find Nearest Outpost will be found in the Command Console window or in the Computer menu.
  For a full summary of the controls, and what their key equivalents are, you should browse through the menus (most of the menu commands are self-explanatory) and read the following sections of this help manual:

- The Command Console

- Keyboard Equivalents