A (semi-)New Way of Implementing Sounds in FSX

FSX including FSX Steam version.

A (semi-)New Way of Implementing Sounds in FSX

Postby FL2070 » Thu Jul 14, 2022 6:57 pm

Anyone who has a basic level of knowledge of FSX's file structure, and probably most people who have installed sounds for FSX aircraft before, know that in each aircraft's folder in SimObjects/Airplanes, there is a folder (usually) called "sound" which contains SOUND.CFG file and a bunch of .WAV audio files. The SOUND.CFG tells the game how to use each .WAV file in the folder.

But, there is another sound folder, in the FSX root folder. This folder is very special, because it allows any SOUND.CFG from any plane to use the sounds in that folder. And, of course, you can put your own sounds in this folder as well, not just use the default files that Microsoft put in that folder.

Now, every aircraft sounds package has a lot of files like "cockpit_wind.wav" and "engine_thrust_reverser.wav" which are in every single plane's sound folder. But: do you really need to have slightly different versions of the same file copied all over the place? E.g.: you have, say, 20 different planes, and each one has its own wind sound, each one its own thrust reverser sound. Do you really need 20 different thrust reverser sounds for 20 different planes?

Do you see what I am getting at?

By moving the .WAV files to the unified sounds folder instead of copying them for each aircraft, we can save large amounts of disk space—the more different planes, the more planes use the same file instead of a bunch of different ones, the less space used up by sounds. I will use the term "CSS", Common Sound System, to refer to this method of packaging soundpacks.

This has the advantage of cutting down soundpacks from 100-150MB to 70-110MB, and not to mention, the sounds will not have to be copied every time you install the same soundpack onto different aircraft, saving yet even more space. There is a disadvantage, though, which is that it is harder to install these soundpacks than standard ones (see theoretical installation instructions below).

But, there is a large problem with this. Sound designer #1 called his reverser sound: "BBN2R.WAV", sound designer #2 called his reverser sound "RRTRENT_REVERSERS.wav", and sound designer #3 called his reverser sound "rev.wav", sound designer #4 called his reverser sound "ReversersA.wav", etc... so one cannot simply move all the .WAV files from each plane into the common sounds folder, and save space that way.

To fix this problem, there must be someone who deliberately makes a bunch of different soundpacks that use the same file names, and writes SOUND.CFG files to all use the same files where possible. Now, we begin to have a full picture of what I am planning.

- - - - - -

So, on to business. If you noticed the two soundpacks recently uploaded, one for L-1011 and one for B737NG, you might recognize me as the one who uploaded them, and if you are a tinkering sort with your software, and downloaded the L-1011 sounds, you may have looked through the SOUND.CFG in it, and seen a little note I left: "MADE IN ONE DAY". The note does not lie. The original draft was constructed from one day from nothing—all the .WAV files gathered, the SOUND.CFG programmed, etc. But, it did take a few more days of tweaking to get to the finished product.

What is truly important is that the L-1011 sounds were not just one soundpack: they were a proof of concept, of creating high-quality freeware soundpacks for FSX at lightning speed. With the L-1011 sounds created in 1 day with another 2-3 for tinkering to prove that it is possible, I plan to use this method of space-saving in the creation high-quality freeware sounds for almost every turbofan-powered airliner in FSX at a minimum rate of one soundpack per week. This is made even faster by the fact that because I am using a lot of the same .WAV files for different planes, all I will need to make for each soundpack is engine turbine sounds, a cockpit electronics sound, and some cockpit warnings, and everything else (reversers, engine thrust blast, wind, gear and flap levers, engine rumble sound) will already be done, making it even faster.

The goal is that by the beginning of 2023, every Boeing, Airbus, MD/DC turbofan-powered airliner, in all engine configurations will have a soundpack made for them in CSS-format. I will use this forum post to document the progress. Anyone who wishes to make a request can do so as well in the replies, and I will prioritize the aircraft that are requested.

- - - - - -

HOW THIS WILL WORK FROM A USER'S PERSPECTIVE

There will be one soundpack called the "CSS Basefiles Soundpack" that all other CSS-format soundpacks rely upon. Then, there will be one pack for each individual aircraft, containing each aircraft-specific .WAV file and the sound.cfg.

Installation procedure for the CSS basefiles:
- Extract the "sound" folder to your FSX root folder, so that it merges with the folder already there
- Say "yes" to replace if asked

Installation procedure for a CSS soundpack:
- Extract the "SimObjects" and "sound" folders to your FSX root folder, so that they merge with the folder already there
- Extract the "SOUND.CFG" file to the "sound" folder of each aircraft you want to change the sounds of

What a CSS-format soundpack will look like when you download one:

Image

- - - - - -

PLANNED SOUNDPACKS:
Av. PS-90 (Tu204/IL96)
CFMi CFM56-3 (B737)
CFMi CFM56-5 (A320/A340)
CFMi CFM56-7 (B737)
CFMi LEAP-1 (A320/B737)
GE CF6-6 (DC10)
GE CF6-50 (A300/B747/DC10)
GE CF6-80C (A300/B747/B767/MD11)
GE CF6-80E (A330)
GE CF34-8 (CRJ700/E17X)
GE CF34-10 (E19X)
GE GE90 (B777)
GE GEnX (B787/B747)
IAE V2500 (A320/MD90)
Kuznetsov NK-8 (Tu154B)
Lotarev D-36 (Yak42)
P&W JT8D (DC9/B737)
P&W JT8D (B727)
P&W JT8D (MD-80)
P&W JT9D (B747/B767/DC10)
P&W PW1000G (A320)
P&W PW2000 (B757)
P&W PW4000 (A300/B747/B767/MD11)
P&W PW4000 (A330)
P&W PW4000 (B777)
P&W PW6000 (A318)
RR AE3007 (ERJ145)
RR BR715 (B717)
RR RB211-22/524B/C/D (L1011/B747)
RR RB211-524G/H (B747/B767)
RR RB211-535 (B757)
RR Trent 500 (A340)
RR Trent 700 (A330)
RR Trent 800 (B777)
RR Trent 900 (A380)
RR Trent 1000 (B787)
RR Trent 7000 (A330)
RR Trent XWB (A350)
Soloviev D-30-II (Tu134)
Soloviev D-30KU (Tu154M)

Progress updates will be posted in the replies. The latest reply to this post by me will always have the latest available progress update.
FL2070
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:25 pm

Re: A (semi-)New Way of Implementing Sounds in FSX

Postby FL2070 » Tue Jul 19, 2022 12:25 pm

Progress as of 19 July, 2022:

CSS Basefiles v1.0 is ready for release

CFMi CFM56-7b for B737NG is ready for release
IAE V2500 for A320 is ready for release
P&W PW4000-96 for A300/A310 is ready for release
P&W PW4000-96 for B747 is ready for release
P&W PW4000-96 for B767 is ready for release
P&W PW4000-96 for MD11 is ready for release
RR RB211-22/524B for L1011 is ready for release
RR RB211-524B/C/D for B747 is ready for release

IAE V2500 for MD90 is WIP
Av. PS-90 for Tu204 is WIP
Av. PS-90 for IL96 is WIP

All listed as "ready for release" will be released on the 20th. IAE V2500 for MD90 will also be released on the 20th.
FL2070
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:25 pm

Re: A (semi-)New Way of Implementing Sounds in FSX

Postby FL2070 » Wed Jul 20, 2022 11:00 pm

Progress as of 20 July, 2022:

CSS Basefiles v1.0 has been uploaded and should be available for download by the 21st
IAE V2500 for A320 and MD90 has been uploaded and should be available for download by the 21st

The following have been delayed for upload until the 21st:
CFMi CFM56-7b for B737NG
RR RB211-22/524B for L1011 and B747
P&W PW4000-96 for A300/A310, B747, B767, and MD11

IAE V2500 for MD90 is WIP
Av. PS-90 for Tu204 is WIP
Av. PS-90 for IL96 is WIP

The logistics of uploading the same soundpack twice (B737NG and L1011 were both already released in non-CSS format) must be worked out, and I started working on packaging everything for upload too late at night to have enough time to upload the PW4000 sounds.
FL2070
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:25 pm

Re: A (semi-)New Way of Implementing Sounds in FSX

Postby FL2070 » Thu Jul 21, 2022 11:57 pm

Progress as of 21 July, 2022:

Errors have been identified in PW4000-96 series SOUND.CFGs which required fixing, and extended the amount of time it took to record the YouTube showcase video for the PW4000-96 sounds. This in addition to me starting recording it and getting everything ready past 11 PM... PW4000-96 sounds will have to be delayed another day.
FL2070
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:25 pm

Re: A (semi-)New Way of Implementing Sounds in FSX

Postby FL2070 » Fri Jul 22, 2022 9:28 pm

Progress as of 22 July, 2022:

P&W PW4000-96 for A300/A310, B747, B767, and MD11 has been uploaded and should be available for download by the 23rd
RB211-22/524B/C/D for L1011/B747 has been uploaded and should be available for download by the 23rd

The following have been delayed until I decide what to do with it:
CFM56-7b for B737NG

Av. PS-90 for Tu204/IL96 is still WIP, I will resume working on it tomorrow and it should be released before the end of the month

Planned:
CFM56-3 for B737 (from request from YouTube comment)

Unprocessed/Unplanned Requests:
JT8D for B737 (from YouTube comments)
PW1000G for A320neo (from YouTube comments)
LEAP-1 for A320neo/B737MAX (from YouTube comments)
FL2070
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:25 pm

Re: A (semi-)New Way of Implementing Sounds in FSX

Postby FL2070 » Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:39 pm

With the death of FSX and near complete lack of interest in this project, I may cancel this idea after I've finished the current list of requests, and the rate of production will slow down much less than what was planned. I do not know what the future of this project will be. It is still possible that the entire list will be finished, but it may take anywhere from six months to multiple years.
FL2070
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:25 pm


Return to Flight Simulator X (FSX) and Steam

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 158 guests