diff --git a/src/Main.hs b/src/Main.hs
index 65425ac..fd52df1 100644
--- a/src/Main.hs
+++ b/src/Main.hs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ main = do
   chan <- newBChan 1
   forkIO $ forever $ do
     writeBChan chan Tick
-    threadDelay 70000
+    threadDelay $ (optTime options) * 10000
   g <- initGame
   let buildVty = V.mkVty V.defaultConfig
   initialVty <- buildVty
diff --git a/src/Options.hs b/src/Options.hs
index 719fc08..2cd5981 100644
--- a/src/Options.hs
+++ b/src/Options.hs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ data Options = Options
   { optWidth       :: Int
   , optGenerations :: Int
   , optHeight      :: Int
+  , optTime        :: Int
   } deriving Show
 
 -- the default options for the program
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ defaultOptions w h = Options
   { optWidth       = w
   , optGenerations = 40
   , optHeight      = h
+  , optTime        = 7
   }
 
 -- the avaliable options
@@ -38,6 +40,9 @@ options =
   , Option ['h'] ["height"]
       (ReqArg (\t opts -> opts { optHeight = (read t) }) "HEIGHT")
       "term height"
+  , Option ['t'] ["time"]
+      (ReqArg (\t opts -> opts { optTime = (read t) }) "TIME")
+      "delay time"
   ]
 
 -- parse the options into the structure