The Sound.cfg file specifies the sounds for an aircraft, such as the sound of the engine at various RPMs, and so on. This file also specifies the initial, minimum, and maximum volume associated with each sound. The following example shows the contents of a Sound.cfg file.
[SOUND_ENGINE]
filename=ceidle
viewpoint=1
type=0
rparams=450.0, 1.0, 1000.0, 2.2
vparams=550.0, 99.5, 750.0, 0
min_volume=8300
link=ce1
[ce1]
filename=ce1
viewpoint=1
type=0
rparams=200.0, 0.286, 4000.0, 5.7
vparams=550.0, 0.0, 750.0, 99.5, 1100.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=ce2
[ce2]
filename=ce2
type=0
viewpoint=1
rparams=200.0, 0.2, 4000.0, 4.0
vparams=750.0, 0.0, 1100.0, 99.5, 1300.0, 100, 1800.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=ce3
[ce3]
filename=ce3
type=0
viewpoint=1
rparams=1000.0, 0.465, 2450.0, 1.139
vparams=1300.0, 0.0, 1800.0, 100.0, 2000, 100.0, 2350, 0
min_volume=8300
link=ce4
[ce4]
filename=ce4
type=0
viewpoint=1
rparams=2000.0, 0.83, 3000.0, 1.29
vparams=2000.0, 0.0, 2350, 100
min_volume=8300
link=xceidle
[xceidle]
filename=xceidle
viewpoint=2
type=0
rparams=450.0, 1.0, 1000.0, 2.2
vparams=550.0, 99.5, 750.0, 0
min_volume=8300
link=xce1
[xce1]
filename=xce1
viewpoint=2
type=0
rparams=200.0, 0.286, 4000.0, 5.7
vparams=550.0, 0.0, 750.0, 99.5, 1100.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=xce2
[xce2]
filename=xce2
type=0
viewpoint=2
rparams=200.0, 0.2, 4000.0, 4.0
vparams=750.0, 0.0, 1100.0, 99.5, 1300.0, 100, 1800.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=xce3
[xce3]
filename=xce3
type=0
viewpoint=2
rparams=1000.0, 0.465, 2450.0, 1.139
vparams=1300.0, 0.0, 1800.0, 100.0, 2000, 100.0, 2350, 0
min_volume=8300
link=xce4
[xce4]
filename=xce4
type=0
viewpoint=2
rparams=2000.0, 0.83, 3000.0, 1.29
vparams=2000.0, 0.0, 2350, 100
min_volume=8300
[GEAR_DOWN]
filename=cmgeardn
[gear_up]
filename=cmgearup
[flapsh]
filename=cmflaph
initial_volume=9100
[flapsl]
filename=cmflaplp
initial_volume=9100
[flapst]
filename=cmflapt
initial_volume=9100
[stall_warning]
filename=castall
[left_touchdown]
filename=xcmtoucl
panning=-10000
initial_volume=10000
maximum_volume=10000
[right_touchdown]
filename=xcmtoucr
panning=10000
initial_volume=10000
maximum_volume=10000
[center_touchdown]
filename=xcmtoucc
panning=0
initial_volume=10000
maximum_volume=10000
[wind_sound]
filename=wind3
minimum_volume=6000
maximum_volume=8500
minimum_rate=0.60
maximum_rate=0.90
minimum_speed=40.0
maximum_speed=120.0
[OVERSPEED_WARNING_SOUND]
flags=1
[AP_DISENGAGE_SOUND]
filename=caapdis
[CRASH_SOUND]
filename=pcrash3
extra=cncrash1,cncrash2
[splash_SOUND]
filename=psplash
extra=cnsplas1,cnsplas2
The following table describes the general parameters included in the Sound.cfg file.
| Parameter | Description |
| filename | Specifies the name of a sound (.wav) file. The .wav extension should not be specified. Flight Simulator 98 searches the Sound folder in the specific aircraft container first, and then (if the file isn't found) searches the Flight Simulator 98 Sound folder. |
| viewpoint | Determines whether the sound is audible inside (specified by the value 1) or outside (specified by the value 2) the cockpit. Setting the value to 1 corresponds to cockpit and virtual cockpit views. Setting the value to 2 corresponds to spot plane and tower views. |
| flags | Represents one of the four functions listed below. Possible values for flags are as follows: |
| 1 Disable sound | |
| 2 Jet engine sound | |
| 4 Jet engine rumble sound | |
| 8 Helicopter sound | |
Values 2, 4, and 8 are only valid in the [jet engine] section of the Sound.cfg file, explained later in this table. |
|
| initial_volume | Specifies the volume at which the sound starts. Volume is specified in 1/100dB units, with a value of 10,000 specifying maximum volume. |
| minimum_volume | Specifies the lowest possible volume; if the sound drops below the minimum volume specified, it will not be heard. |
| maximum_volume | Specifies the highest possible volume; the sound never exceeds the volume specified. |
| panning | Specifies where the sound is placed in the stereo field: 0=center, -10,000=left, 10,000=right. |
Note: Flight Simulator 98 can load most PCM .wav formats, as well as compressed formats. When a compressed format is used, Flight Simulator uses Audio Compression Manager (ACM), an audio compression module included in Windows 95, to load the file. If you include compressed files, make sure that they are in a format supported (by default) by Windows 95, such as ADPCM. To determine the compression formats supported by your system, click the Devices tab in the Multimedia Control panel and look at the formats listed in the Audio Compression Codecs section.
The [SOUND_ENGINE] section of the Sound.cfg file defines the sound of a piston engine; the [JET_ENGINE] section of the Sound.cfg file defines the sound of a jet engine. Each of these sections define two distinct sounds, the sound of the engine that is heard from inside the cockpit (cockpit or virtual cockpit view) and the sound of the engine from outside the cockpit (spot plane or tower view). The viewpoint parameter is described in the preceding table.
In Flight Simulator 98, a piston engine sound is a mix of several looped sound files. As the engine RPM changes, the mix of files changes based on the rparams and vparams defined for each sound file. The following example is the engine sound definition for a Cessna.
[SOUND_ENGINE]
filename=ceidle
viewpoint=1
type=0
rparams=450.0, 1.0, 1000.0, 2.2
vparams=550.0, 99.5, 750.0, 0
min_volume=8300
link=ce1
[ce1]
filename=ce1
viewpoint=1
type=0
rparams=200.0, 0.286, 4000.0, 5.7
vparams=550.0, 0.0, 750.0, 99.5, 1100.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=ce2
[ce2]
filename=ce2
type=0
viewpoint=1
rparams=200.0, 0.2, 4000.0, 4.0
vparams=750.0, 0.0, 1100.0, 99.5, 1300.0, 100, 1800.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=ce3
[ce3]
filename=ce3
type=0
viewpoint=1
rparams=1000.0, 0.465, 2450.0, 1.139
vparams=1300.0, 0.0, 1800.0, 100.0, 2000, 100.0, 2350, 0
min_volume=8300
link=ce4
[ce4]
filename=ce4
type=0
viewpoint=1
rparams=2000.0, 0.83, 3000.0, 1.29
vparams=2000.0, 0.0, 2350, 100
min_volume=8300
link=xceidle
[xceidle]
filename=xceidle
viewpoint=2
type=0
rparams=450.0, 1.0, 1000.0, 2.2
vparams=550.0, 99.5, 750.0, 0
min_volume=8300
link=xce1
[xce1]
filename=xce1
viewpoint=2
type=0
rparams=200.0, 0.286, 4000.0, 5.7
vparams=550.0, 0.0, 750.0, 99.5, 1100.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=xce2
[xce2]
filename=xce2
type=0
viewpoint=2
rparams=200.0, 0.2, 4000.0, 4.0
vparams=750.0, 0.0, 1100.0, 99.5, 1300.0, 100, 1800.0, 0.0
min_volume=8300
link=xce3
[xce3]
filename=xce3
type=0
viewpoint=2
rparams=1000.0, 0.465, 2450.0, 1.139
vparams=1300.0, 0.0, 1800.0, 100.0, 2000, 100.0, 2350, 0
min_volume=8300
link=xce4
[xce4]
filename=xce4
type=0
viewpoint=2
rparams=2000.0, 0.83, 3000.0, 1.29
vparams=2000.0, 0.0, 2350, 100
min_volume=8300
The Cessna engine sound, specified in the preceding example, is made up of ten sound files: ceidle, ce1, ce2, ce3, and ce4 for internal view sounds; and xceidle, xce1, xce2, xce3, and xce4 for external view sounds. The internal view sound files have the viewpoint parameter set to 1, and the external view sound files have the viewpoint parameter set to 2. Because the preceding example represents a piston engine sound, all the sound files have the type parameter set to 0.
The following table includes the parameters in the Sound.cfg file that specifically define engine sounds.
| Parameter | Description |
| type | Specifies the type of engine. The type parameter can have the following values: |
| 0 Piston engine | |
| 1 Jet engine | |
| 2 No engine | |
| 3 Helicopter turbine engine | |
| vparams | Amplitude envelope. Represents the sound file's volume as a function of RPM. Each pair of values specified in vparams represents a single point; you can use up to 8 points to describe the amplitude envelope. The first number in the pair specifies engine RPM, the second specifies volume. (The units for volume are logarithmic, with a value of 100.0 meaning maximum volume.) For example, vparams = 550.0, 99.5, 750.0, 0 specifies that, at 550 RPM, the volume for this sound file is 99.5 and, at 750 RPM, the volume is 0 (silent). If the engine RPM is less than 550, the volume is still 99.5. If the engine RPM is between 550 and 750, Flight Simulator 98 interpolates the volume. |
| rparams | Pitch envelope. Represents the sound file's relative pitch (and, invariably, the playback speed) as a function of RPM. Each pair of values specified in rparams represents a single point; you can use up to 8 points to describe the pitch envelope. The format and behavior of rparams is similar to vparams, except that the second value of each point represents a pitch scaler. A value of 1.0 specifies that the sound file is played at unity pitch. A value of 2.0 specifies that the file is played an octave higher and twice as fast. |
| link | References the next sound file in the .cfg file. Most engine sounds are made up of several sound files, and each sound file has its own section in the .cfg file. The [SOUND_ENGINE] or [JET_ENGINE] section represents the first sound file; subsequent sound files are referenced by link. |
The following is an example of a jet engine sound. The volume and pitch envelopes for the jet engine sound are preset. The rumble sound is mixed with the engine sound when reverse thrust is applied. (In the [rumble] section, flags is set to 4; for more information on the flags parameter, see the general parameters table earlier in this topic.) The following example is the sound definition for a Boeing 737-400 engine.
[JET_ENGINE]
type=1
flags=2
viewpoint=1
filename=be1
link=xbe
[xbe]
type=1
flags=2
viewpoint=2
filename=xbe3
link=rumble
[rumble]
type=1
flags=4
filename=rumblp
The preceding sound definition is made up of three sound files: be1, internal view engine sound; xbe3, external view engine sound; and rumblp, thrust reversal sound. Because the preceding example represents the sound definition for a jet engine, the type parameter is set to 1 for all of the files.
The helicopter sound definition is similar to that of the jet engine, except the type parameter is set to 3 and the flags parameter is set to 8.
Wind sound is used to add realism to the sounds of powered aircraft; it's also the predominant sound used for sailplanes. The following table describes the parameters included in the wind sound definition.
| Parameter | Description |
| minimum_speed | Specifies the minimum speed; that is, no wind sound is played below this speed. Specified in KTAS units. |
| maximum_speed | Specifies the speed above which the wind sound has constant volume and pitch. |
| minimum_volume | See the table earlier in this topic that describes this parameter. Actual playback volume is interpolated if the aircraft's speed is between minimum_speed and maximum_speed. |
| maximum_volume | See the table earlier in this topic that describes this parameter. Actual playback volume is interpolated if the aircraft's speed is between minimum_speed and maximum_speed. |
| minimum_rate, maximum_rate | If the speed of an aircraft is between minimum_speed and maximum_speed, the playback rate is interpolated between these two values. |
The following three sections of the Sound.cfg file specify the sounds the flaps make: [flapsh] specifies the sound the flaps make when they start moving, [flapsl] specifies the sound the flaps make while moving, and [flapst] specifies the sound the flaps make when they stop moving.
In the [CRASH_SOUND] section of the Sound.cfg file, the extra parameter specifies a list of crash sounds. If the aircraft crashes, Flight Simulator 98 randomly picks a crash sound from the list. In the [CRASH_SOUND] section, all of the files specified in extra share the same settings.