diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 061b118..5e1fa6f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,16 @@ pub struct Position {
     z: u8,
 }
 
+impl Position {
+    pub fn new(x: u8, y: u8) -> Self {
+        Position {
+            x,
+            y,
+            z: 0,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Component)]
 #[storage(VecStorage)]
 pub struct Renderable {
@@ -163,95 +173,61 @@ pub fn create_player(world: &mut World, position: Position) {
         .build();
 }
 
+pub fn load_map(world: &mut World, map_string: String) {
+    // read all lines
+    let rows: Vec<&str> = map_string
+        .trim()
+        .split('\n')
+        .map(|x| x.trim())
+        .collect();
+
+    for (y, row) in rows.iter().enumerate() {
+        let columns: Vec<&str> = row.split(' ').collect();
+
+        for (x, column) in columns.iter().enumerate() {
+            // Create the position at which to create something on the map
+            let position = Position::new(x as u8, y as u8);
+
+            // Figure out which object to create
+            match *column {
+                "." => create_floor(world, position),
+                "W" => {
+                    create_floor(world, position);
+                    create_wall(world, position);
+                }
+                "P" => {
+                    create_floor(world, position);
+                    create_player(world, position);
+                }
+                "B" => {
+                    create_floor(world, position);
+                    create_box(world, position);
+                }
+                "S" => {
+                    create_floor(world, position);
+                    create_box_spot(world, position);
+                },
+                "N" => (),
+                c => panic!("unrecognized map item {}", c),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn initialize_level(world: &mut World) {
-    create_player(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 0,
-            y: 0,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
-    create_floor(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 0,
-            y: 1,
-            z: 0,
-        }
-    );
-    create_player(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 0,
-            y: 1,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
-    create_wall(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 1,
-            y: 0,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
-    create_floor(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 1,
-            y: 1,
-            z: 0,
-        }
-    );
-    create_box(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 2,
-            y: 0,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
-    create_floor(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 2,
-            y: 1,
-            z: 0,
-        }
-    );
-    create_box(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 2,
-            y: 1,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
-    create_box_spot(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 3,
-            y: 0,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
-    create_box_spot(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 3,
-            y: 1,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
-    create_box(
-        world,
-        Position {
-            x: 3,
-            y: 1,
-            z: 0, // we will get the z from the factory functions
-        },
-    );
+    const MAP: &str = "
+    N N W W W W W W
+    W W W . . . . W
+    W . . . B . . W
+    W . . . . . . W
+    W . P . . . . W
+    W . . . . . . W
+    W . . S . . . W
+    W . . . . . . W
+    W W W W W W W W
+    ";
+
+    load_map(world, MAP.to_string());
 }