diff --git a/src/tanks/GameElement.java b/src/tanks/GameElement.java
index 79fbb6e..4c06774 100644
--- a/src/tanks/GameElement.java
+++ b/src/tanks/GameElement.java
@@ -1,9 +1,41 @@
-package tanks;
-
 /*
-class that provides functinality for game elements interacting with each other.
+    jeffery R
+    5-21-16
+    Gives every sub-class a width and a height
+    every GameElement is able to check for a collision with another gameElement
 */
-public class GameElement 
+package tanks;
+
+import java.awt.geom.Area;
+
+public abstract class GameElement extends DrawableElement 
 {
+    //generic information about the game element
+    public int width, height;
+    
+    
+    //geometry variable used for collisions
+    public Area shape;
+    
+    
+    /*
+        checks for collision against another game element
+        will only work if both shape variables are set
+        depending on the object the shape are will be set differently
+
+        returnes true if there was a collision, false otherwise
+    */
+    public boolean checkCollision(GameElement e)
+    {
+        //sets the areas of the two elements being compared
+        this.setShape();
+        e.setShape();
+        //checks to see if there is an overlape in the two areas
+        shape.intersect(e.shape);
+    	return !(shape.isEmpty());
+    }
+    
+    //method that ensures that every sub-class will set their shape accordingly
+    public abstract void setShape();
     
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file