diff --git a/src/game.rs b/src/game.rs
index 7c50f7e..ecc028c 100644
--- a/src/game.rs
+++ b/src/game.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ impl Game {
         // check if move is allowed first
         let player = &self.player;
         let player_pos = player.get_position();
-        let level = &self.levels[player_pos.get_level() as usize];
+        let mut level = &self.levels[player_pos.get_level() as usize];
         let new_x = ((player_pos.get_x() as i16) + dx as i16) as u16;
         let new_y = ((player_pos.get_y() as i16) + dy as i16) as u16;
         let can_go: bool = match level.get_element(new_x as i16, new_y as i16) {
@@ -25,11 +25,10 @@ impl Game {
         };
         if can_go {
             if level.get_element(new_x as i16, new_y as i16).unwrap() == LevelElement::StairDown {
-                self.player.set_position(
-                    player_pos.get_level() + 1,
-                    self.levels[(player_pos.get_level() + 1) as usize].start_x as u16,
-                    self.levels[(player_pos.get_level() + 1) as usize].start_y as u16,
-                );
+                let start_x = self.levels[(player_pos.get_level() + 1) as usize].start_x;
+                let start_y = self.levels[(player_pos.get_level() + 1) as usize].start_y;
+                self.player.set_position(player_pos.get_level() + 1, start_x as u16, start_y as u16);
+                self.levels[(player_pos.get_level() + 1) as usize].discover(start_x as i16, start_y as i16);
             } else if level.get_element(new_x as i16, new_y as i16).unwrap() == LevelElement::StairUp {
                 self.player.set_position(
                     player_pos.get_level() - 1,
@@ -38,6 +37,7 @@ impl Game {
                 );
             } else {
                 self.player.change_position(dx, dy);
+                self.levels[player_pos.get_level() as usize].discover(new_x as i16, new_y as i16);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/level.rs b/src/level.rs
index 32f9753..28ca1b2 100644
--- a/src/level.rs
+++ b/src/level.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::cmp::{max, min};
+
 pub const LEVEL_WIDTH: usize = 50;
 pub const LEVEL_HEIGHT: usize = 25;
 
@@ -7,6 +9,7 @@ pub enum LevelElement {
     Floor,
     StairDown,
     StairUp,
+    Unknown,
 }
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
@@ -22,6 +25,7 @@ pub enum RoomType {
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Level {
     pub(crate) structure: [[LevelElement; LEVEL_HEIGHT]; LEVEL_WIDTH],
+    pub(crate) discovered: [[bool; LEVEL_HEIGHT]; LEVEL_WIDTH],
     pub(crate) start_x: usize,
     pub(crate) start_y: usize,
     pub(crate) end_x: usize,
@@ -33,10 +37,11 @@ impl Level {
         let s = [[LevelElement::Wall; LEVEL_HEIGHT]; LEVEL_WIDTH];
         Level {
             structure: s,
+            discovered: [[false; LEVEL_HEIGHT]; LEVEL_WIDTH],
             start_x: 1,
             start_y: 1,
             end_x: 1,
-            end_y: 1
+            end_y: 1,
         }
     }
     pub fn get_element(&self, x: i16, y: i16) -> Option<LevelElement> {
@@ -46,7 +51,48 @@ impl Level {
         if x >= LEVEL_WIDTH as i16 || y >= LEVEL_HEIGHT as i16 {
             return None;
         }
-        Some(self.structure[x as usize][y as usize])
+        if self.discovered[x as usize][y as usize] {
+            return Some(self.structure[x as usize][y as usize]);
+        }
+        return Some(LevelElement::Unknown);
+    }
+    /// discover the area with in the level around the given position
+    pub fn discover(&mut self, x: i16, y: i16) {
+        for x_r in x - 1..=x + 1 {
+            for y_r in y - 1..=y + 1 {
+                let tx = min(max(x_r, 0), (LEVEL_WIDTH - 1) as i16) as usize;
+                let ty = min(max(y_r, 0), (LEVEL_HEIGHT - 1) as i16) as usize;
+                self.discovered[tx][ty] = true;
+            }
+        }
+        for x_r in x..=x + 2 {
+            let tx = min(max(x_r, 0), (LEVEL_WIDTH - 1) as i16) as usize;
+            self.discovered[tx][y as usize] = true;
+            if self.structure[tx][y as usize] == LevelElement::Wall {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        for y_r in y..=y + 2 {
+            let ty = min(max(y_r, 0), (LEVEL_HEIGHT - 1) as i16) as usize;
+            self.discovered[x as usize][ty] = true;
+            if self.structure[x as usize][ty] == LevelElement::Wall {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        for x_r in (x-2..x).rev() {
+            let tx = min(max(x_r, 0), (LEVEL_WIDTH - 1) as i16) as usize;
+            self.discovered[tx][y as usize] = true;
+            if self.structure[tx][y as usize] == LevelElement::Wall {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        for y_r in (y-2..y).rev() {
+            let ty = min(max(y_r, 0), (LEVEL_HEIGHT - 1) as i16) as usize;
+            self.discovered[x as usize][ty] = true;
+            if self.structure[x as usize][ty] == LevelElement::Wall {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/level_generator.rs b/src/level_generator.rs
index 3c560d8..7722508 100644
--- a/src/level_generator.rs
+++ b/src/level_generator.rs
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ impl LevelGenerator {
         }
         Level {
             structure: s,
+            discovered: [[false; 1 + ROOMS_HORIZONTAL * ROOM_HEIGHT]; 1 + ROOMS_VERTICAL * ROOM_WIDTH],
             start_x,
             start_y,
             end_x,
diff --git a/src/level_widget.rs b/src/level_widget.rs
index 8570d23..cd37bea 100644
--- a/src/level_widget.rs
+++ b/src/level_widget.rs
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ impl<'a> Widget for LevelWidget<'a> {
                             LevelElement::StairUp => {
                                 self.set_cell(buf, x, y, "<", Color::Black, Color::Gray);
                             }
+                            LevelElement::Unknown => {
+                                self.set_cell(buf, x, y, "▒", Color::DarkGray, Color::Gray);
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index e0ff4eb..7fe0216 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         levels,
     };
 
-    g.player.change_position((levels[0].start_x) as i8, (levels[0].start_y) as i8);
+    g.move_player((levels[0].start_x) as i8, (levels[0].start_y) as i8);
 
     stdout().execute(EnterAlternateScreen)?;
     enable_raw_mode()?;