diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4568079..41e384b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -29,4 +29,6 @@ _testmain.go
 *.pem
 *.crt
 
+*.lvl
+
 /gosl
diff --git a/cmd/compile.go b/cmd/compile.go
index e4f287c..a74d878 100644
--- a/cmd/compile.go
+++ b/cmd/compile.go
@@ -12,44 +12,10 @@ import (
 	"path"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+
+	"code.bitsetter.de/fun/gosl/data"
 )
 
-type directionType int
-
-const (
-	DIR_NULL directionType = iota // Undefined direction: NO Motion
-	DIR_SW                        //
-	DIR_S                         //  NW   N   NE
-	DIR_SE                        //     7 8 9
-	DIR_W                         //  W  4 5 6  E
-	DIR_NONE                      //     1 2 3
-	DIR_E                         //  SW   S   SE
-	DIR_NW
-	DIR_N
-	DIR_NE
-)
-
-type Direction interface {
-	Base() directionType
-}
-
-func (i directionType) Base() directionType { return i }
-
-type LayerManifest struct {
-	Z      int           `json:"Z-Index"`
-	D      directionType `json:"Direction"`
-	S      int           `json:"Speed"`
-	T      string        `json:"Transparent"`
-	Repeat bool
-	Frames map[int]([][]rune)
-}
-
-type LevelManifest struct {
-	Name   string
-	FPS    int
-	Layers map[string]*LayerManifest
-}
-
 var (
 	levelDir  string
 	levelFile string
@@ -79,7 +45,7 @@ func compile(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 	log.Println("will compile to", levelFile)
 
-	lvlMan := &LevelManifest{}
+	lvlMan := &data.Level{}
 	buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(levelDir + "/Manifest.json")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal("Error reading file: ", err)
@@ -125,6 +91,7 @@ func compile(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	enc := gob.NewEncoder(obuf)
 	enc.Encode(&lvlMan)
 	ioutil.WriteFile(levelFile, obuf.Bytes(), 0644)
+	log.Println("done.")
 }
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/data/level.go b/data/level.go
index 87c4bb6..6c1a8e4 100644
--- a/data/level.go
+++ b/data/level.go
@@ -1,18 +1,61 @@
 package data // code.bitsetter.de/fun/gosl/data
 
+import (
+	"encoding/gob"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+)
+
+type directionType int
+
+const (
+	DIR_NULL directionType = iota // Undefined direction: NO Motion
+	DIR_SW                        //
+	DIR_S                         //  NW   N   NE
+	DIR_SE                        //     7 8 9
+	DIR_W                         //  W  4 5 6  E
+	DIR_NONE                      //     1 2 3
+	DIR_E                         //  SW   S   SE
+	DIR_NW
+	DIR_N
+	DIR_NE
+)
+
+type Direction interface {
+	Base() directionType
+}
+
+func (i directionType) Base() directionType { return i }
+
 type Layer struct {
-	data []byte
-	w, h int
+	Z      int           `json:"Z-Index"`
+	D      directionType `json:"Direction"`
+	S      int           `json:"Speed"`
+	T      string        `json:"Transparent"`
+	Repeat bool
+	Frames map[int]([][]rune)
 }
 
 type Level struct {
-	Layers map[int]*Layer
+	Name   string
+	FPS    int
+	Layers map[string]*Layer
 }
 
-func (lvl *Level) AddLayer(z int, l *Layer) {
-	lvl.Layers[z] = l
-}
+//func (lvl *Level) AddLayer(z int, l *Layer) {
+//	lvl.Layers[z] = l
+//}
 
 func LoadLevel(filename string) *Level {
-	return nil
+	log.Println("Loading lvl ", filename)
+	ret := &Level{}
+	file, err := os.Open(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Println("Error reading lvl: ", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+	dec := gob.NewDecoder(file)
+	dec.Decode(ret)
+	//log.Println(ret.Layers["locomotive"])
+	return ret
 }
diff --git a/levelinfo.txt b/levelinfo.txt
index 2144e53..6470891 100644
--- a/levelinfo.txt
+++ b/levelinfo.txt
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 LevelDir
  +-- Manifest        :)
  +-- Layer 1
- |    +-- Manifest   << layer dimension, orientation and speed, transparency char
  |    +-- 1.frame    << text, unix style lf
  |    +-- 2.frame
  |    | …