Meteor Blaster DX Reprint

[vestcoat]

aside from the clear case and Ximati ad on the inside insert, there doesn't appear to be a difference between the two.

Different tray + different rear insert + real CD = pretty big difference.

[KingDrool]

Got mine as well! Sadly, I'm out of town and won't be able to play it until I get home.

Thanks for doing this, BT!

[Bonknuts]

What is a post-gap for one track is also the pre-gap for the next.

 Hah, yes. I remember finding that out and thinking wtf??? Why even have a post-gap cue sheet command. And not all burning software treats it the same. I do remember the red book and yellow book documents stating that you can more then two indexes to a track (whether CD players do anything with it, I dunno. Never tried to test it). Most burning software puts the post-gap command of the last track as the pre-gap for the next. If you use both, it's probably just a gamble as to how each burning software treats it at that point. Might create a third index (supposedly legal) on the track and pad with 0x00. As far as post-gap goes, nothing in either red book or yellow book docs ever mentioned it. So I just chalk it up to some legacy cue sheet command or some such crap.

[TheOldMan]

Pre-gap, post-gap and index 0 were part of the specifications for making a cue sheet. The intent was to allow you to build an audio cd with a specific layout. The software required you to set the gaps yourself (no automatic adjustments), and the various directives determined where data came from and what kind of data is was.
I don't remember the specifics right now, but one of the setups allowed you to burn data from the file into the gap area.
You can have more than one index per track. This was used (for example) to allow you to seek to a particular movement in a symphony. The entire symphony would be recorded as one track, with different movements as indexes in the track. The guy who designed the original CD layout was a classical music buff.
(Which, incidentally, is where the size of a cd comes from. It had to have enough space to hold a particularly long symphony, because he didn't want to have to change the disc.)
It's been a while since I played with it, but iirc using the wrong combination of pre-gap/post-gap/index 0 would give you an error (Bad layout) before the burning started, because the TOC couldn't be built correctly. I'm not sure all burning programs do that, but I remember fighting to get those things correct in cdrdao many, many times.

[shubibiman]

Thanks for the link. Ordered a copy plus an extra copy of Implode.

[spenoza]

The guy who designed the original CD layout was a classical music buff.

And CDs are still the best way to listen to classical recordings. A lot of people rave about the quality of vinyl, and that's just because most pop and rock on CD is mastered for loudness and constant volume instead of for quality. Good classical recordings on CD prove the quality (and relative superiority) of CD digital audio, including the incredible dynamic range. Of course, you'll want a quality CD player with good, high quality amps and speakers, too...

[Black Tiger]

I got a shipped notice.

[roflmao]

Mine arrived today!  Durham, NC!? I didn't know Mindrec was only an hour and a half away.  Cool.

[Arkhan]

Mine arrived today!  Durham, NC!? I didn't know Mindrec was only an hour and a half away.  Cool.

Isn't that where Fragmare is at?

BT is up in Canadia, I thought.

[bt]

Got mine in the mail yesterday too, but didnt check the mail till early this morning.

This isn't a complaint, but something on the package and/or CD stating that this is a reprint would have helped differentiate this from the original CD-R version a little better. Aside from the clear case and Ximati ad on the inside insert, there doesn't appear to be a difference between the two. Although I haven't compared them side by side yet and merely going by memory.

There is not a difference, other than the tray and insert.

Basically, the art format that the CD pressing house needed was one of the higher quality ones (Quark), and the original files were in that format.  Not having access to Quark, nor wanting to shell out cash (or a further delay in the project) to update the files, I just let them go as is.

[bt]

Here are the numbers so far ....

I received about 50 pre-orders. (and the pre-order page will be open for a few more days).  70% have been shipped at this point -- I have tracking numbers, but felt it was more important to get more orders out than enter the numbers in paypal.  Those numbers will be entered later, but you'll probably already have your CDs by then.

The last batch of domestic pre-orders (10) will go out on Monday or Tuesday, then the final batch of pre-orders (the international ones) will go out later in the week.  The latter ones need to go to a real post office, and not a satellite branch like I have been using.

US orders have been from all over: CA and NC have the most (with 3 each).  International orders have come from Canada, Spain and France.  Once the pre0orders are taken care of, I will download all the orders and make a google map to show where the orders were shipped to.  I will only use zip codes and not addresses.

I actually ran out of shipping envelopes, so 2 orders still have to be packaged up.  When your order is packaged up you get the "In Process" notice.

I also had to up the shipping costs via paypal since they were basically at a break even point for some, and a losing point for others.  Why it costs $2.75 for 2 CDs to ship, but $5.85 for 4 is beyond me.  Oh well, just another discount that folks who ordered early got to take advantage of.

I also found a case of old MB cases (no CDs), so if anyone really wants a white tray to replace the clear one, they will be available soon.

[Mishran]

Got mine in the mail yesterday too, but didnt check the mail till early this morning.

This isn't a complaint, but something on the package and/or CD stating that this is a reprint would have helped differentiate this from the original CD-R version a little better. Aside from the clear case and Ximati ad on the inside insert, there doesn't appear to be a difference between the two. Although I haven't compared them side by side yet and merely going by memory.

There is not a difference, other than the tray and insert.

Basically, the art format that the CD pressing house needed was one of the higher quality ones (Quark), and the original files were in that format.  Not having access to Quark, nor wanting to shell out cash (or a further delay in the project) to update the files, I just let them go as is.

As I said, it wasn't a complaint and your reasoning is valid. I did notice the "Dev/Sig Edition" and the 2013 mark on the title screen which is great. I'm assuming you used the Signature Edition insert too since it does differ from my original release insert.

Overall, everything is great and the inclusion of the 5th ship is cool too. Thanks for rereleasing it for us. Out of simple curiosity, was there any changes made to loop and implode on the disc?

[Duo_R]

If implode changed I would have got the 2 pack. Thanks BT for releasing this!

[bt]

Got mine in the mail yesterday too, but didnt check the mail till early this morning.

This isn't a complaint, but something on the package and/or CD stating that this is a reprint would have helped differentiate this from the original CD-R version a little better. Aside from the clear case and Ximati ad on the inside insert, there doesn't appear to be a difference between the two. Although I haven't compared them side by side yet and merely going by memory.

There is not a difference, other than the tray and insert.

Basically, the art format that the CD pressing house needed was one of the higher quality ones (Quark), and the original files were in that format.  Not having access to Quark, nor wanting to shell out cash (or a further delay in the project) to update the files, I just let them go as is.

As I said, it wasn't a complaint and your reasoning is valid. I did notice the "Dev/Sig Edition" and the 2013 mark on the title screen which is great. I'm assuming you used the Signature Edition insert too since it does differ from my original release insert.

Overall, everything is great and the inclusion of the 5th ship is cool too. Thanks for rereleasing it for us. Out of simple curiosity, was there any changes made to loop and implode on the disc?

The Loop included with the initial MB was V1, this has V2 (basically Loop with powerups).  Implode Caravan version is the same as the original MB release (not the same as the version on the Implode CD, however).

I made my son (pushing 11 years old) play Loop v2 the other night, and after one game his reply was "I don't like you."

[esteban]

I made my son (pushing 11 years old) play Loop v2 the other night, and after one game his reply was "I don't like you."

Hahahahahahahahaha. That's awesome.  

My daughter felt similarly when I begged her to give Timeball a chance. I like the game and wanted her to appreciate it, too.

Nope.