If I remember right, in Verge 1 you had to specify in the .cfg file a start map that Verge would automatically load when you start the game. The autoexec function in Verge 2 and 3 replaces that, so that you don't have to have a map to start up with.

As for the methodology of programming... I had no programming experience at all when I started in Verge 1. I found it really hard and I think I even posted once saying that I was giving up. But I didn't, and eventually you do pick stuff up. Verge 2 was even harder for me, because it is much more programming-oriented than Verge 1. I had the same problems you had with it. But I kept with it for a while, and I have to say that I learned far more about programming via Verge than in any classes I tried to take in college (I took Java once and failed horribly).

If you want to look at other people's code, try and find examples that don't use ambiguous variables like "a" and "b". It's really hard to follow code like that. I try to always name all of my variables things which will lead me to recognize their purpose, even for loops and stuff, and even if it means I have to use long variable names, such as "ResLightninggfx" (which stores the graphics for the lightning resistance icon), or even "poisonstatframetimer" (which is a timer responsible for changing the graphics frames for characters that have been poisoned in battle). This is for my benefit as well as for anyone who wants to read my code.

So far, it seems like people have been pretty good about answering help questions. So if you have any specific problems, just ask away and you should get help. You've been around long enough to know that. :-)