You can enable DirectPlay using an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell (Run as Administrator).
If enabling DirectPlay doesn't fix your old game, the issue might be (another legacy graphics component). Windows 10/11 handles full-screen DirectDraw poorly. install direct play
Check the game's page on PCGamingWiki for game-specific DirectPlay fixes, or look for a modern source port (e.g., OpenAge for Age of Empires II) that replaces DirectPlay with modern networking. You can enable DirectPlay using an elevated Command