## About DirectPlay

The Microsoft® DirectPlay® application programming interface (API) for Microsoft Windows® 95 is a software interface that simplifies application access to communication services. DirectPlay has become a technology family that not only provides a way for applications to communicate with each other, independent of the underlying transport, protocol, or online service, but also provides this independence for matchmaking servers and game servers.

Applications (especially games) can be more compelling if they can be played against real players, and the personal computer has richer connectivity options than any game platform in history. Instead of forcing the developer to deal with the differences that each connectivity solution represents, DirectPlay provides well-defined, generalized communication capabilities. DirectPlay shields developers from the underlying complexities of diverse connectivity implementations, freeing them to concentrate on producing a great application.

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