using mplab with vex

[llama]

i got a vex set a few weeks ago along with a programing cable and i've worked with programing languages before but never with a robot other than easy c

i had decided initially that i didn't want to compromise my ability to do anything possible with the vex kit so i got mplab and the ifi loader etc. rather than using easy c

i had expected that i would be able to find some sort of help online with programing my vex but after a week of seaching on and off all over the internet, i have yet to find just one site that could help me

i so far have;

~successfully created a connection between my computer and the vex
~downloaded some different hex files onto it so that i could test whether the ifi loader was workign
~gotten the starter code for mplab and gone through all of it like 5 times

i still dont undertand what exactly im looking at with the starter code. it seems to be nicely commented but its just confusing me.

to put it in context i wish to be able to make a 3 wheeled bot that uses a single back wheel on a servo to turn with the other two being powered to make it go forward/back. What i dodnt understand is how the vex recieves and transmits its data... i know how pwms work and how to create algorythims etc but how do i simply say when this joy stick has this value then make this pwm send this value. and then where in the starter code do i put it?

any help would be appreciated and im sorry if i have missed some really simple resource for getting started....