I've been using the tutorial but I can't figure out how to access any commands other than to switch rooms. I'm just playing around to learn the program better and I had a coat rack and I want to touch the coat rack. Am I supposed to make a custom command or..?

Sounds like you want a 'verb' here...
Select the object: coat rack,
Select the verb tab,
Add 'touch', then add the message you want.

That was incredibly simple. Goodness. Thank you so much.

Sometimes, the simplest solution is the hardest to figure out.