BVE Track Sound Standard (BVETSS)
Welcome to the project page of the BVE Track Sound Standard (BVETSS), which defines track running sounds, enabling audio interoperability between main line routes and trains developed for BVE (and openBVE). The BVETSS is an initiative launched in 2002 to improve the quality of the BVE experience, developed in partnership between Railsimroutes.net and Train Sim Central.
Introduction to the BVE Track Sound Standard (BVETSS)
This page is designed to explain and promote the specifications of the "BVE Track Sound Standard" [BVETSS]. The original aim was to persuade more Western or UK based BVE main line route and train developers to consider adhering to the new standard so more BVE add-ons can be heard and enjoyed as their designers intended, when trains and routes are "mixed and matched" -- in the past, with many route and train combinations this was not the case. The BVETSS was designed to solve this issue, and the standard is now long established; the BVE Track Sound Standard has been adopted by the vast majority of UK BVE developers, and some international developers too.
The BVETSS is one of two run sound standards which we're aware of. The Hong Kong BVE community also has it's own equivalent of the BVETSS: http://bve.i-circle.net/guideline-and-standard/track-sound
openBVE developers may wish to visit the 'Standards' link in the Developing section of the openBVE website, in case a run sound standard is officially adopted for use by openBVE developers in future: https://openbve-project.net/creating-addons/
Banners
If after reading through this page, you would like to join the list of BVE developers now building routes and trains to the BVETSS 1.0 standard, why not indicate that your trains and routes comply with the standards by adding either of the following banners and links next to your download links, thus helping to spread the word and encourage more developers to follow suit? Don't forget to link back to this page, so newcomers to BVE can easily find out what BVETSS is all about.
Note: To use one of these banners, simply right-click your preferred design, and select "Save picture as" to save a copy on your hard disk. To see an example of how the banners can be displayed, please see the Birmingham Cross-City South downloads page.
BVE Track Sound Standard compliant
BVE Track Sound Standard compliant
BVE Track Sound Standard [BVETSS] compliant - click for more details
Background
All trains for use with (open)BVE have so-called "Run Sounds" which represent the various track sounds which you hear when driving a train along an (open)BVE route. This means the track sounds you hear are determined by the train you're driving rather than the route. For example, while the route may have certain sections of track designed to be simulating jointed rail, if the run sounds of the train don't match the route, you might hear continuous welded rail sounds instead.
Obviously, this makes the use of trains on routes for which they weren't designed, less enjoyable, because the wrong track sounds would often be heard - the BVE Track Sound Standard solves this problem by defining a standard assignment of track sounds which are shared amongst compliant main line (open)BVE routes and trains.
Railsimroutes.net and Train Sim Central joined forces to pioneer this new standard, and all main line route and train downloads on both sites have been modified to comply with the new standard, and all our new and future trains are BVETSS compliant. This has brought huge benefits, for example any of the trains available from Train Sim Central can be run on main line routes available from this site, with the correct track sounds preserved, and vice-versa. Now that BVETSS has been adopted so widely in the UK at least, the same can be said for many (open)BVE trains and routes.
Run sound assignments
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Feedback and queries
If you have any queries regarding the BVE Track Sound Standard (BVETSS), please feel free to contact me via e-mail:
