diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 8f10524..70bdf75 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ add_executable(endgame-analyzer src/main.cpp src/state_explorer.cpp src/download
         include/game_interface.h
         src/hanabi_types.cpp
         src/game_interface.cpp
+        include/make_state.h
+        src/make_state.cpp
 )
 
 target_link_libraries(endgame-analyzer cpr)
diff --git a/include/make_state.h b/include/make_state.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ef80e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/make_state.h
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#ifndef DYNAMIC_PROGRAM_MAKE_STATE_H
+#define DYNAMIC_PROGRAM_MAKE_STATE_H
+
+#include <optional>
+
+#include "game_interface.h"
+
+namespace Hanabi
+{
+  /**
+   * @brief Produces a game state from specified parms.
+   * @param num_suits: Has to be in [3,6]
+   * @param num_players Has to be in [2,6]
+   * @param deck A list of cards with at most as many suits as num_suits
+   * @param score_goal What is considered as an optimal score for this game state.
+   *   If null, the maximum score is inserted
+   * @return Pointer to created game state, wrapped into abstract interface
+   *
+   * @note Since the implementation of the actual game state (the concrete class derived from HanabiStateIF),
+   *   is heavily templated, this function has its own header + source file to reduce compilation time
+   *   for all components using this, since there is now only one place where the templated implementation
+   *   is actually compiled and has not be recompiled upon other program parts changing.
+   */
+  std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF> make_game_state(
+        std::size_t num_suits,
+        Hanabi::player_t num_players,
+        std::vector<Hanabi::Card> const &deck,
+        std::optional<uint8_t> score_goal = std::nullopt
+  );
+}
+
+
+#endif //DYNAMIC_PROGRAM_MAKE_STATE_H
diff --git a/src/download.cpp b/src/download.cpp
index c273ec3..8838a2a 100644
--- a/src/download.cpp
+++ b/src/download.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #include <cpr/cpr.h>
 
 #include "parse_game.h"
-#include "game_state.h"
+#include "make_state.h"
 
 #include "download.h"
 
@@ -27,82 +27,6 @@ namespace Download {
         return boost::json::parse(game_json).as_object();
     }
 
-    std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF> get_base_state(
-          std::size_t num_suits,
-          Hanabi::player_t num_players,
-          std::vector<Hanabi::Card> const & deck,
-          std::optional<uint8_t> score_goal) {
-        uint8_t actual_score_goal = score_goal.value_or(5 * num_suits);
-        switch(num_players) {
-            case 2:
-                switch(num_suits) {
-                    case 3:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 4:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 5:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 6:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    default:
-                        throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
-                }
-            case 3:
-                switch(num_suits) {
-                    case 3:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 4:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 5:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 6:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    default:
-                        throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
-                }
-            case 4:
-                switch(num_suits) {
-                    case 3:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 4:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 5:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 6:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    default:
-                        throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
-                }
-            case 5:
-                switch(num_suits) {
-                    case 3:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 4:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 5:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 6:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    default:
-                        throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
-                }
-            case 6:
-                switch(num_suits) {
-                    case 3:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 4:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 5:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    case 6:
-                        return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
-                    default:
-                        throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
-                }
-            default:
-                throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of players: " + std::to_string(num_players));
-        }
-    }
 
   Hanabi::Game get_game(std::variant<int, std::string> game_spec, std::optional<uint8_t> score_goal){
     const std::optional<boost::json::object> game_json_opt = [&game_spec]() {
@@ -118,7 +42,7 @@ namespace Download {
     }
 
     Hanabi::GameInfo game_info = Parsing::parse_game(game_json_opt.value());
-    return {get_base_state(game_info.num_suits, game_info.num_players, game_info.deck, score_goal), game_info};
+    return {make_game_state(game_info.num_suits, game_info.num_players, game_info.deck, score_goal), game_info};
   }
 
 } // namespace Download
diff --git a/src/make_state.cpp b/src/make_state.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ef5824
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/make_state.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+#include "game_state.h"
+#include "game_interface.h"
+
+namespace Hanabi {
+  std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF> make_game_state(
+        std::size_t num_suits,
+        Hanabi::player_t num_players,
+        std::vector<Hanabi::Card> const &deck,
+        std::optional<uint8_t> score_goal)
+  {
+    uint8_t actual_score_goal = score_goal.value_or(5 * num_suits);
+    switch(num_players) {
+      case 2:
+        switch(num_suits) {
+          case 3:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 4:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 5:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 6:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,2,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          default:
+            throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
+        }
+      case 3:
+        switch(num_suits) {
+          case 3:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 4:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 5:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 6:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,3,5>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          default:
+            throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
+        }
+      case 4:
+        switch(num_suits) {
+          case 3:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 4:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 5:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 6:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,4,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          default:
+            throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
+        }
+      case 5:
+        switch(num_suits) {
+          case 3:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 4:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 5:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 6:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,5,4>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          default:
+            throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
+        }
+      case 6:
+        switch(num_suits) {
+          case 3:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<3,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 4:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<4,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 5:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<5,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          case 6:
+            return std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF>(new Hanabi::HanabiState<6,6,3>(deck, actual_score_goal));
+          default:
+            throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of suits: " + std::to_string(num_suits));
+        }
+      default:
+        throw std::runtime_error("Invalid number of players: " + std::to_string(num_players));
+    }
+  }
+}
+