Using DirectDraw (DirectX) in Sub Station Alpha

Directdraw is only available for Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT

Directdraw allows a video technique called "page-flipping". There is no faster way to update your screen than by using page-flipping! It prevents �tearing� or �flicker� effects when subtitles appear of disappear.

However, page-flipping requires a certain amount of memory on your video card to operate. The higher your screen resolution and colour depth, the more video memory it requires...

If you do not have enough memory to achieve page-flipping at the resolution and colour depth you use in Windows, then SSA and directdraw will still work, but without the page-flipping performance! This is because Directdraw will automatically switch to "blitting" instead of page-flipping.

Blitting is a slower technique, although it's still faster than if Windows wasn't using Directdraw - especially if your video card has built-in Directdraw acceleration (eg. Matrox Mystique). The Directdraw blitter can also use your PC's main memory if you don't have much video RAM.

Here is a summary of recommended screen resolutions and colour depths you should use to get the best performance using Directdraw:

If you have a 1MB video card, then you should use one of the following video modes:
640x480, 16 colours
640x480, 256 colours

If you have a 2MB video card, then you should use one of the following video modes:
640x480, 16 colours
640x480, 256 colours
640x480, 32k colours (16-bit colour, or "Hi-Color")
You may also be able to use 640x480, 16Million colours (24-bit colour, or "TrueColor")
800x600, 16 colours
800x600, 256 colours
You may also be able to use 800x600, 32k colours (16-bit colour, or "Hi-Color")

If you have a 4MB video card, then you should use one of the following video modes:
640x480, 16 colours
640x480, 256 colours
640x480, 32k colours (16-bit colour, or "Hi-Color")
640x480, 16Million colours (24-bit colour, or "TrueColor")
800x600, 16 colours
800x600, 256 colours
800x600, 32k colours (16-bit colour, or "Hi-Color")
800x600, 16Million colours (24-bit colour, or "TrueColor")
1024x768, 16 colours
1024x768, 256 colours
1024x768, 32k colours (16-bit colour, or "Hi-Color")