diff --git a/.hgignore b/.hgignore
index 811cc28..8977709 100644
--- a/.hgignore
+++ b/.hgignore
@@ -23,3 +23,4 @@ Debug/
 *.so
 *.swp
 *.dat
+_*
diff --git a/asteroids/View.cc b/asteroids/View.cc
index d15510f..67899e8 100644
--- a/asteroids/View.cc
+++ b/asteroids/View.cc
@@ -620,7 +620,6 @@ void View::DrawUiLevelIntro() {
 	int level_number_dest_x = (screen_right - screen_left) * 0.5 - 180;	
 	int level_number_dest_y = (screen_bottom - screen_top) * 0.5 - 60;
 
-
 	int level_number_start_x = level_number_dest_x;	
 	int level_number_start_y = (screen_top);
 
@@ -633,7 +632,7 @@ void View::DrawUiLevelIntro() {
 			);
 
 	int level_title_dest_x = (screen_right - screen_left) * 0.5;	
-	int level_title_dest_y = (screen_bottom) * 0.5 - 0;
+	int level_title_dest_y = (screen_bottom) * 0.5 - 36;
 
 	int level_title_start_x = (screen_right - screen_left) * 0.5;	
 	int level_title_start_y = (screen_bottom);
@@ -641,18 +640,49 @@ void View::DrawUiLevelIntro() {
 	int level_title_delta_x = level_title_dest_x - level_title_start_x;
 	int level_title_delta_y = level_title_dest_y - level_title_start_y;
 
-	SelectFont("console.ttf size=46 color=#808080");
+	SelectFont("console.ttf size=46 color=#505050");
 
-	Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (21, GetModel()->GetLevelTitle().c_str(),
-			level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x - 2,
-			level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y + 2
-			);
+	std::string level_title = GetModel()->GetLevelTitle();
 
-	SelectFont("console.ttf size=46 color=#ffffff");
-	Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (22, GetModel()->GetLevelTitle().c_str(),
-			level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x,
-			level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y
-			);
+	if (level_title.size() > 24) {
+		// in that case we break up the level title in two lines
+
+		size_t first_line_end = level_title.find_last_of (" ", 24);
+		std::string first_line = level_title.substr (0, first_line_end);
+		std::string second_line = level_title.substr (first_line_end + 1, level_title.size());
+
+		Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (21, first_line.c_str(),
+				level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x - 2,
+				level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y + 2
+				);
+
+		Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (21, second_line.c_str(),
+				level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x - 2,
+				level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y + 2 + 40
+				);
+
+		SelectFont("console.ttf size=46 color=#ffffff");
+		Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (22, first_line.c_str(),
+				level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x,
+				level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y
+				);
+
+		Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (22, second_line.c_str(),
+				level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x,
+				level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y + 40
+				);
+	}	else {
+		Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (21, level_title.c_str(),
+				level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x - 2,
+				level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y + 2
+				);
+
+		SelectFont("console.ttf size=46 color=#ffffff");
+		Engine::GUI::LabelCentered (22, level_title.c_str(),
+				level_title_dest_x - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_x,
+				level_title_dest_y - Engine::GetTimer("LevelIntroLevelTitle") * level_title_delta_y
+				);
+	}
 
 	SelectFont ("console.ttf size=23");
 
@@ -662,6 +692,17 @@ void View::DrawUiLevelIntro() {
 	int level_author_dest_x = (screen_right - screen_left) * 0.5 + 80;	
 	int level_author_dest_y = (screen_bottom - screen_top) * 0.5 + 20;
 
+	if (level_title.size() > 24) {
+		level_author_dest_y += 40;
+	}
+
+	// draw a greyish backround behind the title which can improve
+	// readability
+	glColor4f( 1., 1., 1., 0.1);
+	DrawRect2D (screen_left, level_title_dest_y - 24,
+			screen_right - screen_left,
+			level_author_dest_y - level_title_dest_y - 4);
+
 	int level_author_start_x = screen_right;	
 	int level_author_start_y = level_author_dest_y;
 
@@ -762,7 +803,12 @@ void View::DrawUiPlayerDied() {
 			}
 		} else {
 			GetModel()->ReloadLevel();
-			GetModel()->SetGameState(GameStateRunning);
+			GetModel()->SetGameState(GameStatePaused);
+			PushViewState(ViewStateLevelIntro);
+			Engine::StartTimer ("LevelIntroLevelNumber", 0.4);
+			Engine::StartTimer ("LevelIntroLevelTitle", 0.6);
+			Engine::StartTimer ("LevelIntroLevelAuthor", 0.8);
+			Engine::StartTimer ("LevelIntroLevelStart", 1.0);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/data/sounds/rock_destroyed.wav b/data/sounds/rock_destroyed.wav
index a0ab729..be8bf57 100644
Binary files a/data/sounds/rock_destroyed.wav and b/data/sounds/rock_destroyed.wav differ
diff --git a/engine/IMGUIControls.cc b/engine/IMGUIControls.cc
index e488435..a8cefb5 100644
--- a/engine/IMGUIControls.cc
+++ b/engine/IMGUIControls.cc
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ void LabelCentered (int id, const char* caption, int x, int y) {
 		assert (view);
 
 		view->DrawGLStringMeasure(caption, &width, &height);
+		height = fabs (height);
+		width = fabs (width);
 		view->DrawGLString(x - 0.5 * width, y + height * 0.5, caption);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/engine/SoundBase.cc b/engine/SoundBase.cc
index c4d4328..30f394c 100644
--- a/engine/SoundBase.cc
+++ b/engine/SoundBase.cc
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ int SoundBase::OnInit(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 	int audio_rate = 22050;
 	Uint16 audio_format = AUDIO_S16;
 	int audio_channels = 2;
-	int audio_buffers = 2048;
+	int audio_buffers = 4096;
 
 	LogDebug("Sound Init");
 	if (Mix_OpenAudio (audio_rate, audio_format, audio_channels, audio_buffers)) {