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What are the different video graphics modes and which one should I use?

Active Worlds supports four different modes for rendering 3D graphics: Direct3D 7, Direct3D 8, OpenGL, and software mode. Which mode is appropriate for you depends on the configuration of the PC you are using to run Active Worlds. You can change the video mode you are using by going to the Options menu, selecting Settings..., and clicking on the Video tab.

Direct3D 7

Direct3D 7 mode requires a Direct3D-compatible hardware accelerated video card, DirectX 7.0 or later, and either Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP If you do not have DirectX 7.0, you must download and install the latest version of DirectX from Microsoft before you can run Active Worlds in Direct3D accelerated mode. Also be sure to update your drivers before running in Direct3D mode.

Direct3D 8

Direct3D 8 mode requires a Direct3D-compatible hardware accelerated video card, DirectX 8.1 or later, and either Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP. Direct3D 8 mode is usually faster than Direct3D 7 but may not work as well (or at all) on older video cards. Please see our Direct3D 8 page for details.

OpenGL

OpenGL mode requires an OpenGL-compatible hardware accelerated video card. While OpenGL mode does not require DirectX, it does require that the drivers for your video card support OpenGL. Check with your video card manufacturer to determine whether or not your video card supports OpenGL.

Software Mode

Although it is usually the slowest of the three modes, software mode requires no special video hardware or drivers and is thus the most likely to work well on all systems. It is the default video mode if no other mode has been selected.

*About running in hardware accelerated (Direct3D or OpenGL) modes *

It is not uncommon to encounter problems when first trying to run Active Worlds in hardware accelerated mode. See our video troubleshooting page if are having problems with Direct3D or OpenGL mode.