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+title: Final improvements to the FlappyBird clone and Android support devlog 3
+author: David Luévano
+lang: en
+summary: Notes on the final improvements to my FlappyBird clone made in Godot 4.x. Also details on the support for Android.
+tags: gamedev
+	godot
+	gdscript
+	english
+
+Decided to conclude my FlappyBird journey with one last set of improvements, following up on devlogs [1](https://blog.luevano.xyz/g/flappybird_godot_devlog_1.html) and [2](https://blog.luevano.xyz/g/flappybird_godot_devlog_2.html). Focusing on **refactoring**, **better UI**, **sprite selection** and Android support.
+
+I missed some features that I really wanted to get in but I'm already tired of working on this toy project and already eager to move to another one. Most of the features I wanted to add are just *QoL* UI enhancements and extra buttons basically.
+
+The source code can be found at [luevano/flappybirdgodot](https://github.com/luevano/flappybirdgodot). Playable at [itch.io](https://lorentzeus.itch.io/flappybirdgodot):
+
+<p style="text-align:center"><iframe src="https://itch.io/embed/1551015?dark=true" width="208" height="167" frameborder="0"><a href="https://lorentzeus.itch.io/flappybirdgodot">FlappyBirdGodot by Lorentzeus</a></iframe></p>
+
+# Table of contents
+
+[TOC]
+
+# Refactoring
+
+The first part for my refactor was to move everything out of the `src/` directory into the root directory of the git repository, organizing it a tiny bit better, personal preference from what I've learned so far. I also decided to place all the raw aseprite assets next to the imported one, this way its easier to make modifications and then save directly in the same directory. Also, a list of other refactoring done:
+
+- The way I handled the gameplay means that I needed to make the camera, background and the (ceiling and tiles) "detectors" move along with the player, while restricting their movement in the `x` axis, really hacky. Instead, I did what I should've done from the beginning... just let the tiles move backwards and keep everything static with the player only moving up an down (as how I stated at the beginning of [FlappyBirdgodot devlog 1](https://blog.luevano.xyz/g/flappybird_godot_devlog_1.html) but didn't actually follow).
+- Moved the `set_process` methodology to their own scripts, instead of handling everything in `main.gd` while also taking advantage of how signals work now. Instead of doing:
+
+```gdscript
+func _ready():
+    Event.game_pause.connect(_on_game_pause)
+
+func _on_game_pause(pause: bool):
+    set_process(pause)
+```
+
+Just connecting to `set_process` is enough:
+
+```gdscript
+func _ready():
+    Event.game_pause.connect(set_process)
+    # and when the signal doesn't send anything:
+    Event.game_start.connect(set_process.bind(true))
+    Event.game_over.connect(set_process.bind(false))
+```
+
+# Improvements
+
+## Background parallax
+
+First thing was to add a moving background functionality, by adding 2 of the same `Sprite2D`'s one after another and everytime the first sprite moves out of the screen, position it right after the second sprite. Some sample code to accomplish this:
+
+```gdscript
+func _ready():
+   # Sprite2D and CompressedTexture2D nodes
+   background_orig.texture = background_texture
+   texture_size = background_orig.texture.get_size()
+
+   backgrounds.append(background_orig.duplicate())
+   backgrounds.append(background_orig.duplicate())
+   backgrounds[1].position = background_orig.position + Vector2(texture_size.x, 0.0)
+
+   add_child(backgrounds[0])
+   add_child(backgrounds[1])
+   background_orig.visible = false
+
+# ifirst (index first) it's a boolean value starting with false and
+#   its a hacky way of tracking the first sprites
+#   (the one closest to the left of the screen) in the array
+func _process(delta: float):
+    for background in backgrounds:
+        background.move_local_x(- SPEED * delta)
+
+    # moves the sprite that just exited the screen to the right of the upcoming sprite
+    if backgrounds[int(ifirst)].position.x <= - background_orig.position.x:
+        backgrounds[int(ifirst)].position.x = backgrounds[int(!ifirst)].position.x + texture_size.x
+        ifirst = !ifirst
+```
+
+Then I added background parallax by separating the background sprites in two: background and "foreground" (the buildings in the original sprites). And to move them separately just applied the same logic described above with 2 different speeds.
+
+## Sprite switcher
+
+Also added a way to select between the bird sprites and the backgrounds, currently pretty primitive but functional. Accomplished this by holding textures in an exported array, then added a bit of logic to cycle between them (example for the background):
+
+```gdscript
+func _get_new_sprite_index(index: int) -> int:
+    return clampi(index, 0, background_textures.size() - 1)
+
+
+func _set_sprites_index(index: int) -> int:
+    var new_index: int = _get_new_sprite_index(index)
+    if new_index == itexture:
+        return new_index
+    for bg in backgrounds:
+        bg.texture = background_textures[new_index]
+    for fg in foregrounds:
+        fg.texture = foreground_textures[new_index]
+    itexture = new_index
+    return new_index
+```
+
+Then, in custom signals I just call `_set_sprites_index` with a `texture_index +/- 1`.
+
+## Save data
+
+Moved from manual `ConfigFile` (which is an `.ini` file basically) to `Resource` which is easier to work with and faster to implement.
+
+Accomplished by defining a new `data_resource.gd`:
+
+```gdscript
+class_name DataResource
+extends Resource
+
+@export var high_score: int
+@export var volume: float
+@export var mute: bool
+@export var bird: int
+@export var background: int
+
+func _init():
+    high_score = 0
+    volume = 0.5
+    mute = false
+    bird = 0
+    background = 0
+```
+
+Where the `@export`s are not needed unless you need to manage the `.tres` resource files for testing in-editor.
+
+Then, the `data.gd` script needs to be changed accordingly, most notably:
+
+- The file extension is `.tres` instead of `.cfg`.
+- No need for "config sections".
+- Saving changes to:
+
+```gdscript
+func save():
+    var err: int = ResourceSaver.save(_data, DATA_PATH)
+    if err != OK:
+        print("[ERROR] Couldn't save data.")
+```
+
+- The loader gets simplified (mostly because the default values are set in the `_init()` function of the `data_resource.gd`) to:
+
+```gdscript
+func _load_data():
+    if ResourceLoader.exists(DATA_PATH):
+        _data = load(DATA_PATH)
+    else:
+        _data = DataResource.new()
+        save()
+```
+
+- The attributes/config/saved data can be retrieved directly by the `data_resource.gd` variable name, for example: instead of `_data.get_value(SCORE_SECTION, "high_score")` it's now simply `_data.high_score`. And similar for setting the values.
+
+Compared to the [3.x version](https://blog.luevano.xyz/g/flappybird_godot_devlog_1.html#saved-data) it is a lot more simple. Though I still have setters and getters for each attribute/config (I'll se how to change this in the future).
+
+# Android
+
+I did add android support but it's been so long since I did it that I actually don't remember (this entry has been sitting in a draft for months). In general I followed the official guide for [Exporting for Android](https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/tutorials/export/exporting_for_android.html), setting up Android studio and remotely debugging with my personal phone; it does take a while to setup but after that it's as simple as doing *"one click deploys"*.
+
+Most notably, I had to enable touch screen support and make the buttons clickable either by an actual mouse click or touch input. Some of the *Project Settings* that I remember that needs changes are:
+
+- *display/window/handheld/orientation* set to `Portrait`.
+- *input_devices/pointing/emulate_touch_from_mouse* and *input_devices/pointing/emulate_mouse_from_touch* both set to `on`.
+
+# Misc
+
+Found a bug on the `ScoreDetector` where it would collide with the `Ceiling`. While this is really not a problem outside of me doing tests I fixed it by [applying the correct layer/mask](https://blog.luevano.xyz/g/godot_layers_and_masks_notes.html).