diff --git a/game_engine.hpp b/game_engine.hpp
index 20c5187..e0d5d5b 100644
--- a/game_engine.hpp
+++ b/game_engine.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ enum class GameBonus {
 };
 
 class GameEngine : DeadSimpleFSM<GameState, GameEvent> {
-
   std::map<string, int> damage_types{
     {"error", 4},
     {"warning", 1},
diff --git a/gui.cpp b/gui.cpp
index 4abc339..c046c24 100644
--- a/gui.cpp
+++ b/gui.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 
 using std::string, std::vector;
 
-GUI::GUI(SFMLBackend &backend) : sfml(backend) {
+GUI::GUI(SFMLBackend &backend, int timer_seconds) :
+  sfml(backend), $timer_seconds(timer_seconds)
+{
   using namespace guecs;
 
   $gui.position(0, 0, SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT);
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ GUI::GUI(SFMLBackend &backend) : sfml(backend) {
   auto log = $gui.entity("log");
   auto& rect = $gui.get<Rectangle>(log);
   rect.color = {255,255,255,255};
-  $gui.set<Effect>(log, {1000.0, "build_status"});
+  $gui.set<Effect>(log, {(float)$timer_seconds, "build_status"});
 
   auto clock = $gui.entity("clock");
   $gui.set<Label>(clock, {L"00:00:00", 110});
diff --git a/gui.hpp b/gui.hpp
index a2aa9db..692c8d8 100644
--- a/gui.hpp
+++ b/gui.hpp
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@ class GUI {
   std::wstring $status;
   DinkyECS::Entity $hp_bar;
   bool $hit_error = false;
+  int $timer_seconds;
 
   public:
 
-  GUI(SFMLBackend &backend);
+  GUI(SFMLBackend &backend, int timer_seconds);
 
   void output(const string msg);
   void update_status(GameEngine &game, size_t line_length, bool is_error);
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index cb9e586..f8996d8 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -4,16 +4,29 @@
 #include "sound.hpp"
 #include "textures.hpp"
 #include "shaders.hpp"
+#include <unistd.h>
 
-int main()
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+  int opt = 0;
+  int timer_seconds = 60 * 60;
+
+  while((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "-t:")) != -1) {
+    switch(opt) {
+      case 't':
+        timer_seconds = atoi(optarg) * 60;
+        fmt::println("Setting count down timer to {} seconds.", timer_seconds);
+        break;
+    }
+  }
+
   sound::init();
   shaders::init();
   textures::init();
 
   GameEngine game{100};
   auto backend = SFMLBackend(game);
-  GUI gui(backend);
+  GUI gui(backend, timer_seconds);
   auto builder = Builder(gui, game);
 
   backend.startup();