Interface

Seat Of Your Pants Flying!

Allegiance has one of the finest control setups for a space-combat sim we've seen yet. The controls, despite being quite numerous in quantity, were easy to pick up and learn. You'll just start off flying with the basic movements and learn the finer points of control later. Then you can move onto the 'management' commands not directly related to flying your ship and combat. There is a lot to learn and it will take people a couple of days, if not weeks, to learn all the commands involved in flying your ship and non-commander management. Allegiance, if you can't tell yet, is very heavy on the simulation aspects while remaining strong in the combat and action departments.

Doh!	This is going to be a long trip home

Control is best done with a joystick or gamepad with an analog direction pad. The mouse cannot be used for ship control as you will be using it to navigate the GUI within your ship. That's right, there is so much to do that your mouse is actually clicking away at menus while you're flying. Falcon 4.0 in space? Well, the physics aren't quite as extreme and the flying not as difficult, but it gives you the idea of how complex the game can be.

That's the point though - how complex it *can* be. It doesn't have to, which is the beauty of the interface. A lot of the options and menus you can leave alone and do good for yourself. Odds are that familiarity with them would make you a better pilot, but you can still get by in the game without touching them.

Sigh	I just had to join the side that was losing

Command & Control

The interface because much more important when you assume the role of commander, or at least when you use the command interface. You must manage your base, technology and keep a tab on what has been explored, while keeping your forces somewhat coordinated (assuming they're willing to follow.) This is also the point that the interface shows its brilliance and inadequacy. Allegiance has one of the best control schemes imaginable for an RTS where almost every unit is piloted by a human being. It's not perfect however. Despite the great intelligence displayed by your units (given that they're human and all), you find yourself always busy as commander. There never seems to be enough time to do anything. In a 100+ man match, you'll find yourself torn into pieces trying to keep track of the general flow of battle and the status of your bases.

Oh yeah! Check that baby out!

Booyah

In smaller matches, especially those in the 30 player range, the micromanagement aspects become huge. Watching for enemy incursions with your probes and steering your troops in the right direction is critical. Even small (16 and fewer players) matches have you busy, since you'll find yourself flying in addition to commanding. The challenge is amazing, you're under constant critique but the power and responsibility of command is an amazing reward.