Chapter 4 updating HUD on level changes

[mrwnphs]

I got the code to allow the player to get to new levels. But, the score and life count resets when I go to each new level. I have spent hours trying to resolve the problem. I did find a workaround, but it feels like a bad practice. I ended up adding global variables to the GameState script and I update the HUD through the HUD scene's _process function. Maintaining the score and life count via global variables seems like a reasonable thing to do. But updating the HUD via the _process function feels wasteful- why update the HUD score repeatedly when it hasn't changed?

I don't think that the code in the tutorial in Chapter 4 addresses the score and life count during level changes, but I am open to any thoughts or advice.

[mrwnphs]

In order to support HUD updates during level changes, I switched from the signal based method to the Singleton or global variable method.

In the game_state.gd script, I added these two global variables:
var score = 0
var life_counter = 3

Then I changed the level base script (level_base.gd) to update the score:

# var score = 0: set = set_score

#func set_score(value):
	#score = value
	#score_changed.emit(score)

func _on_item_picked_up():
	#score += 1
	#score_changed.emit(score)
	GameState.score += 1
	$CanvasLayer/HUD.update_score(GameState.score)
	print(GameState.score)

Then updated the player.gd script:

	HURT:
		$AnimationPlayer.play("hurt")
		velocity.y = -200
		velocity.x = -100 * sign(velocity.x)
		# life -= 1
		GameState.life_counter -= 1
		get_parent().get_node("CanvasLayer/HUD").update_life(GameState.life_counter)
		await get_tree().create_timer(0.5).timeout
		if GameState.life_counter <= 0:
			change_state(DEAD)
		else:
			change_state(IDLE)

and commented out this stuff in the player.gd script:

#var life = 3: set = set_life
#func set_life(value):
	## I believe this function gets called when the value of life gets changed
	##     in the change_state function
	#life = value
	#life_changed.emit(life)
	#if life <= 0:
		#change_state(DEAD)

And, finally, I updated main.gd with this:

func _ready():
   var level_num = str(GameState.current_level).pad_zeros(2)
   var path = "res://level_%s.tscn" % level_num
   var level = load(path).instantiate()
   add_child(level)
   hud = level.get_node("CanvasLayer/HUD")
   if hud:
   	hud.update_score(GameState.score)
   	hud.update_life(GameState.life_counter)
   else:
   	print("HUD not found")

[packt-simrana]

Hi mrwnphs,

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We appreciate your detailed feedback.

@cbscribe Could you please look into this issue and provide assistance? Your expertise will be invaluable in resolving the reader's concern.

Thank you for your help!