...first question: I didn't know you could run this thing on Direct3D.. I thought, since the software's name is Freespace Open, that it'd use the OpenGL ability on my card. I even had the OpenAL installed for this as per recommendation.
First, check that you really are running in OpenGL. IIRC the Launcher defaults to DirectX despite the fact that OpenGL is better supported (or at least it did this at some phase... might be changed by now), so check that you have the option turned to OpenGL, as that might already change things for the better. How to do that:
-Open Launcher
-Go to "Video" tab
-Check that in the "Graphics" line it reads "OpenGL" instead of "Direct3D8".
Secondly, OpenAL has nothing to do with graphics renderer option. OpenAL is a sound vendor system developed openly by Creative Labs, and Freespace Open uses it currently as its sound vendor.
The "Open" part in Freespace Open just announces that the project is Open Source, as opposed to commercial closed source programs.

second question: Were there different downloads for the 3_6_9? i got this off the SCP forums >_> I had no idea about the variety.. how do I check?
3.6.9 has not been released yet AFAIK... so what you have is either a release candidate build (if so, good) or a CVS build (if so, not so good).
So, you got your build from SCP forums - as in, from
http://scp.indiegames.us/forum.php?
If so, I would bet that you're actually better off finding a suitable build from our own HLP's Source Code Project forum's Recent Builds subforum. Here's the direct link, although you should be able to find it via forum navigation also:
Source Code Project -> Recent BuildsIf you don't want to bother, here is the most recent 3.6.9 Release Candidate build:
3.6.9 RC7.8When the 3.6.9 is officially released (shouldn't be too long from now), it'll replace the ancient "latest official release" in SCP pages, which is 3.6.7... and it's buggy as hell compared to latest 3.6.9 RC builds, if I recall correctly.
other points: I'm somewhat a bit of a ditz so... how do I put command line in here? err, i mean.. where can it be found in the launcher? I chose the Full Features option in the dropdown list given in the launcher so i don't know which'd be on or off..
Wanderer already told you... So I'm just going to post my own command line for reference. BTW I don't recommend selecting "All features on", as selecting the features by hand gives much better control for actually selecting things that you want to select. There's not that much of them, and most of them are pretty describingly named so it shouldn't be too much of a problem to just tick the necessary ones by hand.
Here's what I use:
C:\Games\Freespace2 SCP\fs2_open_r.exe -mod mediavp368zeta -spec -glow -env -jpgtga -mipmap -2d_poof -missile_lighting -img2dds -no_vsync -cache_bitmaps -dualscanlines -targetinfo -orbradar -rearm_timer -ship_choice_3d -3dwarp -warp_flash -snd_preload -alpha_env -fps -ambient_factor 18.3 -spec_exp 16.7 -spec_point 0.6 -spec_static 0.9 -spec_tube 1 -fov 0.60
But check the 3.6.9RC7.8 build, see how that one works out and we'll see what to do after that, m'kay?
