diff --git a/conf/e2/config.json b/conf/e2/config.json
index 114fffe52..fdb616816 100644
--- a/conf/e2/config.json
+++ b/conf/e2/config.json
@@ -1,63 +1,64 @@
 {
-    "include": [
-        "config://conf/keywords.json",
-        "config://conf/calendar.json",
-        "config://conf/prefixes.json",
-        "config://conf/e2/locales.json",
-        "config://conf/e2/terrains.json",
-        "config://conf/e2/items.json",
-        "config://res/core/ships.xml",
-        "config://res/core/common/buildings.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/buildings.xml",
-        "config://res/buildings/castle.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/races.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/artrewards.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/spells.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/spellbooks/gray.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/spellbooks/gwyrrd.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/spellbooks/draig.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/spellbooks/illaun.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/spellbooks/cerddor.xml",
-        "config://res/eressea/spellbooks/tybied.xml"
-    ],
-    "disabled": [
-        "jsreport"
-    ],
-    "settings": {
-        "game.name" : "Eressea",
-        "game.mailcmd" : "ERESSEA",
-        "game.id" : 2,
-        "orders.default": "work",
-        "NewbieImmunity": 8,
-        "modules.market": false,
-        "modules.astralspace": true,
-        "modules.wormhole": true,
-        "modules.iceberg": true,
-        "modules.volcano": true,
-        "monsters.spawn.chance": 50,
-        "entertain.base": 0,
-        "entertain.perlevel": 20,
-        "taxing.perlevel": 20,
-        "nmr.timeout": 5,
-        "nmr.removenewbie": false,
-        "GiveRestriction": 3,
-        "hunger.long": false,
-        "hunger.damage": "1d8+6",
-        "init_spells": 0,
-        "game.era": 2,
-        "game.start": 184,
-        "rules.reserve.twophase": true,
-        "rules.give.max_men": -1,
-        "rules.check_overload": false,
-        "rules.limit.faction": 2500,
-        "rules.maxskills.magic": 5,
-        "rules.guard.base_stop_prob": 0.30,
-        "rules.guard.skill_stop_prob": 0.05,
-        "rules.guard.amulet_stop_prob": 0.10,
-        "rules.guard.guard_number_stop_prob": 0.001,
-        "rules.guard.castle_stop_prob": 0.05,
-        "rules.guard.region_type_stop_prob": 0.05,
-        "rules.economy.repopulate_maximum": 500,
-        "rules.lighthouse.unit_capacity": true
-    }
+	"settings": {
+		"game.name": "Eressea",
+		"game.mailcmd": "ERESSEA",
+		"game.id": 2,
+		"orders.default": "work",
+		"NewbieImmunity": 8,
+		"modules.market": false,
+		"modules.astralspace": true,
+		"modules.wormhole": true,
+		"modules.iceberg": true,
+		"modules.volcano": true,
+		"monsters.spawn.chance": 50,
+		"entertain.base": 0,
+		"entertain.perlevel": 20,
+		"taxing.perlevel": 20,
+		"nmr.timeout": 5,
+		"nmr.removenewbie": false,
+		"GiveRestriction": 3,
+		"hunger.long": false,
+		"hunger.damage": "1d8+6",
+		"init_spells": 0,
+		"game.era": 2,
+		"game.start": 184,
+		"rules.reserve.twophase": true,
+		"rules.give.max_men": -1,
+		"rules.check_overload": false,
+		"rules.limit.faction": 2500,
+		"rules.maxskills.magic": 5,
+		"rules.guard.base_stop_prob": 0.30,
+		"rules.guard.skill_stop_prob": 0.05,
+		"rules.guard.amulet_stop_prob": 0.10,
+		"rules.guard.guard_number_stop_prob": 0.001,
+		"rules.guard.castle_stop_prob": 0.05,
+		"rules.guard.region_type_stop_prob": 0.05,
+		"rules.economy.repopulate_maximum": 500,
+		"rules.lighthouse.unit_capacity": true,
+		"resource.visibility.rule": 0
+	},
+	"disabled": [
+		"jsreport"
+	],
+	"include": [
+		"config://conf/keywords.json",
+		"config://conf/calendar.json",
+		"config://conf/prefixes.json",
+		"config://conf/e2/locales.json",
+		"config://conf/e2/terrains.json",
+		"config://conf/e2/items.json",
+		"config://res/core/ships.xml",
+		"config://res/core/common/buildings.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/buildings.xml",
+		"config://res/buildings/castle.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/races.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/artrewards.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/spells.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/spellbooks/gray.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/spellbooks/gwyrrd.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/spellbooks/draig.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/spellbooks/illaun.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/spellbooks/cerddor.xml",
+		"config://res/eressea/spellbooks/tybied.xml"
+	]
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/resources.c b/src/kernel/resources.c
index 17cec5ea2..ecc92ee93 100644
--- a/src/kernel/resources.c
+++ b/src/kernel/resources.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ static void terraform_default(struct rawmaterial *res, const region * r)
 }
 
 static int visible_default(const rawmaterial * res, int skilllevel)
-/* resources are visible, if skill equals minimum skill to mine them
+/* resources are visible if skill equals minimum skill to mine them
  * plus current level of difficulty */
 {
     const struct item_type *itype = res->rtype->itype;
@@ -134,6 +134,16 @@ static int visible_default(const rawmaterial * res, int skilllevel)
     return -1;
 }
 
+static int visible_half_skill(const rawmaterial * res, int skilllevel)
+/* resources are visible if skill equals half as much as normal */
+{
+    const struct item_type *itype = res->rtype->itype;
+    if (res->level + itype->construction->minskill < 2 * (skilllevel + 1)) {
+        return res->amount;
+    }
+    return -1;
+}
+
 static void use_default(rawmaterial * res, const region * r, int amount)
 {
     assert(res->amount > 0 && amount >= 0 && amount <= res->amount);
@@ -171,13 +181,19 @@ struct rawmaterial_type *rmt_get(const struct resource_type *rtype)
 struct rawmaterial_type *rmt_create(struct resource_type *rtype)
 {
     if (!rtype->raw) {
+        int rule = config_get_int("resource.visibility.rule", 0);
         rawmaterial_type *rmtype = rtype->raw = malloc(sizeof(rawmaterial_type));
         if (!rmtype) abort();
         rmtype->rtype = rtype;
         rmtype->terraform = terraform_default;
         rmtype->update = NULL;
         rmtype->use = use_default;
-        rmtype->visible = visible_default;
+        if (rule == 0) {
+            rmtype->visible = visible_default;
+        }
+        else {
+            rmtype->visible = visible_half_skill;
+        }
     }
     return rtype->raw;
 }