Written by Tony Hedstrom 6/98 (updated on 11/00) email: t_hedstrom@yahoo.com This document Copyright 2000 Tony Hedstrom This document explains how to change the sounds in MS Flight Simulator 98. You can change the sounds of flaps, landing gear, aircraft crashing, engines, etc. In the 'aircraft\\sound' folder of FS98, you'll find a 'sound.cfg' file. This file controls the sounds for that particular aircraft. Many add-on aircraft simply use the sound file from one of the original aircraft. (ie: B737_400, Lear45, Extra300, C182 (Cessna), etc.) So changing the sound file for one of the original planes will usually effect many add-on planes as well. To find out which sounds an add-on aircraft will use, just go to that planes sound folder and double click on 'sound.cfg'. To get rid of that annoying 'overspeed warning' buzzer, just go to the 'sound' folder of the B737_400 (in the aircraft folder) and rename 'Baover.wav' to 'Baover.bak'. Also do the same to the 'Lear45'. In the sound folder, find 'Laover.wav' and rename it 'Laover.bak'. If you ever want to turn the overspeed warning back on, all you need to do is change the files back to their original names. I havn't tried this with too many add-on aircraft, but it should work. (remember that if you change the sound .cfg files on the original aircraft, most add-ons will also be affected automatically.) To turn on the wind noise in the cockpit, again go to the sound folder of B737_400 (in the aircraft folder) and open the 'sound.cfg' file with notepad. Scroll down a ways until you find [wind_sound]. If minimum_volume=0, that means that the wind sound is shut off. To turn on the wind noise, or make it louder(or softer) use these settings as a general guide: minimum_volume=6000 to 7300 maximum_volume=9000 to 30000 minimum_rate=0.60 to 1.0 maximum_rate=0.80 to 1.50 minimum_speed=20.0 to 50.0 maximum_speed=120.0 to 400.0 Remember, these are just a guideline. Experiment! The settings are pretty much self explainitory. By setting the Extra300, Lear45, Cessna, and B737_400 wind sounds, I think that should also take care of most add-on aircraft too (since they use the same sound.cfg file). In the Extra300, or C182(cessna) sound.cfg file, you can change how the engine sounds by changing the settings of 'rparams', and 'vparams' (you may want to make a backup copy of the sound.cfg file just in case). The numbers indicate engine RPM, and the ratio at which the program changes from one file to the next. You can also change the actual ".wav" files to change how the engine sounds. Try replacing the Ce4.wav, and Xce4.wav files of the cessna with the Ee4.wav and Xee4.wav files from the Extra300. You only hear the new sound at full throttle. There are two different engine 'sounds', one for inside the cockpit, and the other for 'outside' (ie chase plane view). And each of these two engine sounds has several seperate sounds to give you the sound of the propeller turning faster or slower, and to reproduce the "doppler" effect (outside only). You can drastically change the existing FS98 .wav files using the WAV editor(in Windows 95). Just launch the WAV player and from there launch the editor (bottom right hand corner of wav player). >From the wav editor, load a .wav file from FS98. For example, the outside engine sound for the Extra 300 (Xee4.wav). First of all, you can increase the speed, which makes it sound like the engine is running faster. Just click on "Transform"... Or, you can add an 'echo' effect. Try setting the time to 0.01, and the depth to 75. By opening the FS98 'sound' folder, you will see several sound or 'WAV' files. This is where you will find the sounds for crashes, flaps, gear up/down, marker warnings, stall warnings, wind noise, etc. To listen to any '.WAV' file, all you have to do is double click on it. A good place to get alternate sound files is from a sound effects cd. Also check the internet. And don't forget to make backup copies of any file you play around with. That way, if you don't like it, you can just put the original one back. I have several custom sound files that I made for the extra 300, and cessna 182. If you would like a copy, let me know at: t.hed@excite.com P.S. None of this document was copied from Microsoft or anyone else, it's just my own personal findings. So if you find any errors, let me know. ===== Tony Hedstrom Visit the Code Hut at: http://www.angelfire.com/games2/codehut/