diff --git a/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.Designer.cs b/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.Designer.cs
index d91525b..0b41902 100644
--- a/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.Designer.cs
+++ b/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.Designer.cs
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ partial class MainForm1
             this.buttonRepopulate = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
             this.zoomInButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
             this.zoomOutButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
+            this.buttonTick = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
+            this.buttonClear = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
             ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.pictureBox)).BeginInit();
             ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.scalingSlider)).BeginInit();
             this.SuspendLayout();
@@ -108,12 +110,36 @@ partial class MainForm1
             this.zoomOutButton.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
             this.zoomOutButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.zoomOutButton_Click);
             // 
+            // buttonTick
+            // 
+            this.buttonTick.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
+            this.buttonTick.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(701, 41);
+            this.buttonTick.Name = "buttonTick";
+            this.buttonTick.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(87, 23);
+            this.buttonTick.TabIndex = 6;
+            this.buttonTick.Text = "TICK";
+            this.buttonTick.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
+            this.buttonTick.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.buttonTick_Click);
+            // 
+            // buttonClear
+            // 
+            this.buttonClear.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
+            this.buttonClear.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(608, 12);
+            this.buttonClear.Name = "buttonClear";
+            this.buttonClear.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(87, 23);
+            this.buttonClear.TabIndex = 7;
+            this.buttonClear.Text = "CLEAR";
+            this.buttonClear.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
+            this.buttonClear.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.buttonClear_Click);
+            // 
             // MainForm1
             // 
             this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(7F, 15F);
             this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
             this.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.Black;
             this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(800, 450);
+            this.Controls.Add(this.buttonClear);
+            this.Controls.Add(this.buttonTick);
             this.Controls.Add(this.zoomOutButton);
             this.Controls.Add(this.zoomInButton);
             this.Controls.Add(this.buttonRepopulate);
@@ -137,4 +163,6 @@ partial class MainForm1
     private Button buttonRepopulate;
     private Button zoomInButton;
     private Button zoomOutButton;
+    private Button buttonTick;
+    private Button buttonClear;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.cs b/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.cs
index d6ebada..12ada93 100644
--- a/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.cs
+++ b/Game_of_Life/MainForm1.cs
@@ -180,4 +180,16 @@ public partial class MainForm1 : Form
         scalingSlider.Value = scalingAbsolute;
         pixelmap.setScalingAbsolute(scalingAbsolute);
     }
+
+    private void buttonTick_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
+    {
+        pixelmap.Tick();
+        pictureBox.Refresh();
+    }
+
+    private void buttonClear_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
+    {
+        pixelmap.clear();
+        pictureBox.Refresh();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/Game_of_Life/Pixelmap.cs b/Game_of_Life/Pixelmap.cs
index af90c5e..8a30fd8 100644
--- a/Game_of_Life/Pixelmap.cs
+++ b/Game_of_Life/Pixelmap.cs
@@ -11,19 +11,14 @@ public class Pixelmap
     private int viewHeight;
     private int scalingAbsolute;
     private Color[] colors = {Color.Black, Color.White, Color.OrangeRed};
+    // gameWindow = [leftBound, rightBound, upperBound, lowerBound]
+    private int[] gameWindow = {0, 0, 0, 0};
 
     public Pixelmap(int height, int width, int scalingFactor)
     {
         this.height = height;
         this.width = width;
         map = new int[width, height];
-        for (int w = 0; w < width; w++)
-        {
-            for (int h = 0; h < height; h++)
-            {
-                map[w, h] = 0;
-            }
-        }
         
         this.scalingFactor = scalingFactor;
         this.midPoint = new int[] { width / 2, height / 2 };
@@ -43,19 +38,46 @@ public class Pixelmap
     public void clear()
     {
         map = new int[width, height];
-        for (int w = 0; w < width; w++)
-        {
-            for (int h = 0; h < height; h++)
-            {
-                map[w, h] = 0;
-            }
-        }
+        gameWindow = new int[] {0, 0, 0, 0};
     }
 
     public void setPixel(int x, int y, int val)
     {
         val = val >= 3 ? 0 : val;
         map[x, y] = val;
+
+        if (x == 0)
+        {
+            x = 1;
+        } else if (x == width)
+        {
+            x--;
+        }
+
+        if (y == 0)
+        {
+            y = 1;
+        } else if (y == height)
+        {
+            y--;
+        }
+
+        if (x < midPoint[0] - gameWindow[0])
+        {
+            gameWindow[0] = midPoint[0]-x;
+        }
+        if (x > midPoint[0] + gameWindow[1])
+        {
+            gameWindow[1] = midPoint[0] - x;
+        }
+        if (y < midPoint[1] - gameWindow[2])
+        {
+            gameWindow[2] = midPoint[1] - y;
+        }
+        if (y > midPoint[1] + gameWindow[3])
+        {
+            gameWindow[3] = midPoint[1] - y;
+        }
     }
 
     public void cyclePixel(int x, int y)
@@ -205,4 +227,71 @@ public class Pixelmap
         }
         return g;
     }
+
+    public void Tick()
+    {
+        int[,] mapBuffer = new int[width, height];
+
+        // for (int w = midPoint[0]-gameWindow[0]; w < midPoint[0] + gameWindow[1]; w++)
+        for (int w = 1; w < width - 1; w++)
+        {
+            // for (int h = midPoint[1] - gameWindow[2]; h < midPoint[1] + gameWindow[3]; h++)
+            for (int h = 1; h < height - 1; h++)
+            {
+                int neighbors = 0;
+
+                // iterate through all neighbors
+                for (int x = 0; x < 3; x++)
+                {
+                    for (int y = 0; y < 3; y++)
+                    {
+                        if (map[(w - 1) + x, (h - 1) + y] != 0)
+                        {
+                            neighbors += 1;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (map[w, h] == 0)
+                {
+                    if (neighbors == 3)
+                    {
+                        mapBuffer[w, h] = 1;
+                    }
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    // since the current entity is also being counted...
+                    neighbors--;
+
+                    switch (neighbors)
+                    {
+                        // dies
+                        case < 2:
+                            mapBuffer[w, h] = 0;
+                            break;
+
+                        // lives
+                        case 2:
+                            mapBuffer[w, h] = 1;
+                            break;
+
+                        // lives
+                        case 3:
+                            mapBuffer[w, h] = 1;
+                            break;
+
+                        // dies
+                        case > 3:
+                            mapBuffer[w, h] = 0;
+                            break;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        map = mapBuffer;
+
+        return;
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file