diff --git a/Source/Common/Defs/DistanceExtension.cs b/Source/Common/Defs/DistanceExtension.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48d82e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/Common/Defs/DistanceExtension.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Verse;
+
+namespace RJW_Genes
+{
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Small Extension that covers distances for Genes.
+    /// This allows to set distance in the XMLs. 
+    /// The distance is measured in tiles, so a distance of ~25 means 25 tiles away from the pawn in any direction. 
+    /// </summary>
+    public class DistanceExtension : DefModExtension
+    {
+        public int Distance;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Source/Common/Defs/ModExtensionHelper.cs b/Source/Common/Defs/ModExtensionHelper.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8fc545
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/Common/Defs/ModExtensionHelper.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Verse;
+
+namespace RJW_Genes
+{
+    internal class ModExtensionHelper
+    {
+
+        public static int GetDistanceFromModExtension(GeneDef defOf, int fallback)
+        {
+            DistanceExtension distanceExt = defOf.GetModExtension<DistanceExtension>();
+
+            int potentialDistance = distanceExt?.Distance ?? fallback;
+
+            if (potentialDistance > 0)
+            {
+                return potentialDistance;
+            } else {
+                ModLog.Warning($"Retrieved a bad distance ({potentialDistance}) reading the RJW_Genes.DistanceExtension for {defOf.defName}");    
+                return 1; 
+            }
+        }
+
+
+        public static int GetTickIntervalFromModExtension(GeneDef defOf, int fallback)
+        {
+            TickIntervalExtension tickExt = defOf.GetModExtension<TickIntervalExtension>();
+
+            int potentialTickInterval = tickExt?.tickInterval ?? fallback;
+
+            if (potentialTickInterval > 0)
+            {
+                return potentialTickInterval;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ModLog.Warning($"Retrieved a bad distance ({potentialTickInterval}) reading the RJW_Genes.DistanceExtension for {defOf.defName}");
+                return 1;
+            }
+        }
+
+
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Source/Common/Defs/TickIntervalExtension.cs b/Source/Common/Defs/TickIntervalExtension.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e8184c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/Common/Defs/TickIntervalExtension.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Verse;
+
+namespace RJW_Genes
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// General DefModExtension to cover various genes that need to tick regularly.
+    /// Defining it like this allows to adjust things in XML. 
+    /// </summary>
+    public class TickIntervalExtension : DefModExtension
+    {
+        public int tickInterval;
+    }
+}