Dunno how to help your mouse problem out, but maybe you could borrow a "standard" mouse from someone you know for a day to see if that helps. Mouse-scrolling is a really important part of how I play the game - might not be for everyone else who uses the preset zoom levels.

I was going to type out a guide to getting going in the game, but that would be quite long, so instead, I'm going to recommend that you play the first two tutorials again (I played them three times to really understand what was going on) and then the demo mission you downloaded, and then post specific questions. It would take quite a lot of typing to give you a good comprehensive overview.

I'd also recommend you read the "Gameplay example" sticky thread at the top of this forum.

Here's a good starting set of build instructions for you to at least set you off on the right foot. This works pretty much for any map.

1) As soon as the game begins, bring up the Black Market/Pirate window at the top, and purchase 100 crystal from the black market. This gives you enough crystal to do all of the following.
- Click your homeworld and select the Tactical Structures button in the commands list at lower right. Click Capital Ship factory and build it somewhere in your gravity well. As soon as the "ghost" of the factory appears, click it, select the capital ship button on your commands list, and then select the type of capital ship that allows you to colonize. (e.g. Progenitor Mothership if you're playing Vasari). THIS FIRST CAPITAL SHIP IS FREE and new players should take advantage of it immediately.
- Now select the green planetary command button, and upgrade your population (the first option) in the subcommand window it brings up. This will build new (invisible) buildings on its surface that can hold more population. More population provides more taxes so you can purchase other things.
- Now select your frigate construction bay (your game starts with a free one) and build a couple Scout class vessels. When one appears (which will be well before the capital ship factory and ship itself appears), click on it to open its command window, and RIGHT-click on the "explore" command to make it 'explore' automatically (that command will have a spinning white circle on it).
- Next, click the crystal satellite that is near your homeworld and click the command to build a mining building on it. As soon as you have enough money, click the metal buildings and do the same.
- When your capital ship appears, click the star in its command window, and select the Colonize ability. Then click the "back" button, and click the Squadron in its command window, and tell it to build a Bomber squadron.
- Build a light frigate or two in your frigate construction bay.
- Finally send your mothership and light frigates to the "asteroid" type gravity well that is nearest you. Take out its garrison (a light frigate and a siege frigate) with your stronger force, then select your mothership and use its Colonize power on the central asteroid. Immediately upgrade that planet's population (as above) as soon as you can afford it to stop their little base from draining your economy, and build mines on its asteroids.

This doesn't talk about research, trading, defense (build turrets), pirates, and the economy in general, but should be enough to get you started once you have PLAYED THE TUTORIALS enough to understand what they're trying to tell you. With me, it took a couple times because I didn't really understand 4x either.

Cheers, and happy playing
-- Retro

actualy u cant do this with tec w/out 25 more crystal