In input and force feedback, adjustment to an axis range so that minimum or maximum values are retrieved or set before the physical extremities are reached. If the maximum value in a range is 1,000 and the maximum saturation point is set to 900, the maximum value is reached after 90 percent of the travel in that direction.
scene
The entire set of objects that make up a virtual environment, including visible objects, sounds, lights, and frames. In Microsoft� Direct3D�, the entire set of objects is contained in a root frame.
screen space
Frame of reference in which coordinates are related directly to 2-D locations in the frame buffer, to be displayed on a monitor or other viewing device. The origin, or (0,0), is defined to be the upper left corner. Y increases in the downward direction; X increases to the right. Projection space coordinates are converted to screen space coordinates, using a transformation matrix created from the viewport parameters.
secondary sound buffer
An object that manages a single sound or audio stream and plays it to the primary sound buffer.
secure session
A session in which all users have been authenticated against a database of known users before being allowed to join a session. In a secure session, all Microsoft� DirectPlay� system messages are digitally signed to verify the identity of the sender. Certain system messages that carry sensitive information are encrypted. System messages that originate from one player and need to be broadcast to all the other players in the session are first sent to the server. The server then puts its signature on the message and forwards the message to all the other computers in the session. Player-to-player messages are not signed by default and are not routed through the server.
send
(n.) A sound effect for a buffer that is applied by sending the sound data to a second buffer.
service provider
A dynamic-link library used by Microsoft� DirectPlay� to communicate over a network. The service provider contains all the network-specific code required to send and receive messages. Online services and network operators can supply service providers to use specialized hardware, protocols, communications media, and network resources.
session
In Microsoft� DirectPlay�, an instance of several applications on remote computers communicating with each other. Before an application can start communicating with other computers, it must be part of a session. An application can enumerate all the existing sessions on a network and join one of them, or it can create a new session and wait for other computers to join it. Once the application is part of a session, it can create a player and exchange messages with all the other players in the session.
sound buffer
An object that manages Microsoft� DirectSound� audio data.
source color key
A color that (in the case of blitting) is not copied to, or (in the case of overlays) not visible on, the destination.
specular property
The material property that determines how a point of light on a shiny object corresponds to the reflected light source. The specular property of a material is one of two properties that determines how a material reflects light. See alsoemissive property.
spotlight
A light source that emits a cone of light. Only objects within the cone are illuminated. The cone produces light of two degrees of intensity, with a central brightly lit section that acts as a point source, and a surrounding dimly lit section that merges with the surrounding deep shadow.
In Microsoft� DirectSound�, the ability to play sound buffers when the owning application does not have the input focus. For example, a DirectSound application could continue to play a sound buffer while the user is working in another application.