Do you love to puzzle over a problem for hours, days, or even weeks on end in search of that perfect solution that just fits everything together perfectly? If so, perhaps you should consider a career in science, because the world could definitely use more scientists!
Today we would like to share our interview with the developer of some of the most puzzling games we have ever reviewed. If you have yet to check out our review of Layer Up, you can do so here!
Before we start we’d like to thank Steve Snyder for participating in our interview and for answering all of our geeky questions! Thanks Steve!
…and without further ado, our interview begins…
The Interview
/// Thanks for taking the time to talk to us about Layer Up! Could you kick-start this interview by telling us a little about your studio, yourself, and what drew you into the gaming industry?
As your review for my new game “Layer Up” stated I am a Nuclear Safety Engineer by day as well as a fine artist (oil painting). About 5 years ago I thought it would be fun to make a game since it involves both of my interests… logic and artistic creativity. So I taught myself how to code. I started with Obj-C for native iOS and then learned C# for Unity. And kept going from there.
/// Ok, let’s start talking about Layer Up. What are the highlights of your latest release?
Layer Up is currently available for preorder on the AppStore and will be released for both iOS and Android in May. Layer Up is also featured in the AppStore Game page under Coming Soon games so I’m excited about that!
EDAMAME – Once it’s released, you will have people scratching their heads for months to come! 
/// What was the core idea or inspiration behind Layer Up? And perhaps more importantly, where do you find inspiration for your games in general?
As an artist, I wanted to create a game in which art was the main focus so an art puzzle was a natural focus. To make something unique I thought using a “stained glass” look, feel and gameplay could be fun.
EDAMAME – I’m pretty sure you said a similar thing in our last interview. Layer Up is definitely a very artistic game.
/// How long was Layer Up in development for? And are there any interesting and/or exciting moments or experiences you would like to share with us from that time?
Layer Up took me about 4 months to create with the stained glass art taking the most time. I wanted to really create a feeling of fine art pieces which you’ll see from the inspiration I used for the puzzles. Hopefully I was successful at that.
/// What software, developer-tools, or black-magic(?) did you use when making Layer Up? Is there anything you would like to share with the developers who read Edamame Reviews?
I use Unity3D which I love!
/// Is there any secret “developer-advice” you can give our lucky players who read this interview?
Just don’t rush when playing. I hope the player gets enjoyment from just manipulating the layers, using and fine-tuning your spatial recognition, and then enjoying that ah-ha moment when you finally discover the right fit.
/// What can we expect to see in Layer Up or from Steve Snyder in the not so distant future? What do we have to look forward to next?
I’ll definitely create updates with additional puzzles for Layer Up.
I’m also working on a sequel to my game Anamorph that’s been pretty successful so far. This time creating anamorphic art puzzles using a continuous line. It will be called Anamorph Line … naturally 
EDAMAME – Oh man! I can’t tell whether we’re supposed to be terrified or excited by this news…
/// Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to our awesome team of Writers, Developers, and Supporters who keep Edamame Reviews up and running?
I’d like to thank everyone for their support for both the game developers out there making great games and all of you that keep the players informed.
Thank you for following Edamame Reviews!
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