In steam i know you can force the game to play a certain way, on the game right click on properties then click set launch options:
If you have not recently changed your video settings and you are experiencing video and display problems, please ensure your video drivers and DirectX are updated before proceeding:
Troubleshooting Video Errors
http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-...hp?p_faqid=446
How do I set the autoconfig launch option?
The -autoconfig launch option will allow Steam to configure the game with the best settings for use on your machine.
1. Open Steam
2. Go to the "My Games" tab
3. Right-click the game which needs to be reconfigured
4. Select "Properties" from the menu
5. Click the "Set launch options..." button
6. Add -autoconfig at the end of the line, be sure to include a space before the "-" and anything before it.
How do I reset the video settings?
If the -autoconfig launch option does not resolve the issue, use the links below to reset the video settings to their defaults (low resolution, highest refresh rate) and launch a game:
*
GoldSrc-engine Games
o Counter-Strike
o Team Fortress Classic
o Day of Defeat
o Deathmatch Classic
o Opposing Force
o Ricochet
o Half-Life
o Condition Zero
o Half-Life: Blue Shift
*
Source-engine Games
o Half-Life 2
o Counter-Strike: Source
o Half-Life: Source
o Day of Defeat: Source
o Half-Life 2: Deathmatch
o Half-Life Deathmatch: Source
o Half-Life 2: Episode One
o SiN Episodes: Emergence
How do I force a working DirectX level and video mode?
If the game fails to load with the default settings, you will need to test for a working DirectX level and video mode.
Force a DirectX level
This process may help with some older video cards - some users report the game will run faster, as well:
1. Open Steam
2. Go to the "My Games" tab
3. Right-click the game which needs to be reconfigured
4. Select "Properties" from the menu
5. Click the "Set launch options..." button
6. Add one of the DirectX level launch options specified below - be sure to include a space before the "-" and anything before it.
DirectX Level Launch Options
* -dxlevel 90 (DirectX v9.0)
* -dxlevel 81 (DirectX v8.1)
* -dxlevel 80 (DirectX v8.0)
* -dxlevel 70 (DirectX v7.0)
Force a Video Mode
Follow these instructions to configure your video mode and resolution before launching a game:
Important Note
If you are forcing a refresh rate on your system (this is not recommended), you will need to ensure that you specify the forced refresh rate in the launch options.
1. Open Steam
2. Go to the "My Games" tab
3. Right-click the game which needs to be reconfigured
4. Select "Properties" from the menu
5. Click the "Set launch options..." button
6. Add -gl at the end of the line, be sure to include a space before the "-" and anything before it.
7. Specify the appropriate Video Mode and Video Option switches from the lists below
Video Mode Launch Options
Use the -w # switch (where "#" is a number from the list below) to specify the display resolution:
* 640 (640x480) GoldSource Only
* 720 (720x576)
* 800 (800x600)
* 1024 (1024x768) - This mode offers the best performance for most cards
* 1152 (1152x864)
* 1280 (1280x1024) - This mode is optimal for high-end cards
* 1600 (1600x1200) - This mode requires a high-end monitor and a high-performance card
all this information can be found at:
http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-...i=&p_topview=1