In addition you will find email and other personal detail that helps define the character you are playing. A nice tutorial is available via an in-game simulator. Three courses are available - ship control, flight training, and weapon control. Another nice addition to the simulator is an instant action mode that pits you against drones where you compete for additional time against waves of AI opponents. If you're looking for a quick fix, this is good but not as good as random missions.
Control is precise and feels good.
Much of the targeting and ship functions are handled for you, so you have less to worry about while playing. Force feedback is implemented, and only a little bit on the weak side. The Wing Commander games always left out one thing - a multiplayer component. StarLancer finally adds the feature that fans wanted but never had. Since Microsoft is the publisher on this venture, easy access to opponents are readily available on the Zone.