Manage nodes in TextViewport dynamically

core/globals/levels.gd

@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@ func _pre_load_checks() -> bool:
 	if NodeRegistry.level_root_container == null:
 		push_error("Can't load level, level_root_container is not registered yet.")
 		return false
-	if NodeRegistry.level_text_root_container == null:
-		push_error("Can't load level, level_text_root_container is not registered yet.")
-		return false
 	if NodeRegistry.player == null:
 		push_error("Can't load entrypoint, player is not registered yet.")
 		return false
@@ -61,18 +58,12 @@ func load_scene(scn_name: String, force_reload: bool = false) -> bool:
 	unload_scene()
 	var scn: Node2D = load(SCENES[scn_name]).instantiate()
 	NodeRegistry.level_root_container.add_child(scn)
-	for t in get_tree().get_nodes_in_group("text_viewport"):
-		t.reparent(NodeRegistry.level_text_root_container)
 	return true
 
 func unload_scene():
-	for container in [
-		NodeRegistry.level_root_container,
-		NodeRegistry.level_text_root_container
-	]:
-		if container != null:
-			for c in container.get_children():
-				c.queue_free()
+	if NodeRegistry.level_root_container != null:
+		for c in NodeRegistry.level_root_container.get_children():
+			c.queue_free()
 
 func load_entrypoint(ep_name: String) -> bool: # returns true on success
 	if not ep_name in ENTRYPOINTS:

core/globals/node_registry.gd

@@ -2,4 +2,3 @@ extends Node
 
 var player: CharacterBody2D
 var level_root_container: Node2D
-var level_text_root_container: Node2D

core/shadowing_camera_2d.gd

@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-extends Camera2D
-
-func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
-	var orig_camera: Camera2D = NodeRegistry.player.camera
-	self.global_position = -orig_camera.get_viewport_transform().origin

core/text_viewport.gd

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+extends SubViewport
+
+# All nodes from the MainViewport that are in the text_viewport group
+# are shadowed in this SubViewport
+
+@onready var camera: Camera2D = $Camera2D
+@onready var container: Node2D = %LevelTextRootContainer
+
+# map nodes to its shadowed nodes
+var mapping: Dictionary = {}
+
+func update_mapping():
+	var nodes = get_tree().get_nodes_in_group("text_viewport")
+	for k in mapping.keys():
+		if not is_instance_valid(k): # check if node is gone
+			container.remove_child(mapping[k])
+			mapping.erase(k)
+	for n in nodes:
+		if not n in mapping.keys():
+			var dup = n.duplicate()
+			dup.remove_from_group("text_viewport")
+			mapping[n] = dup
+			container.add_child(dup)
+
+func _process(_delta: float) -> void:
+	update_mapping()
+	# update shadowed nodes
+	for k in mapping:
+		var v =  mapping[k]
+		if k is Label and k.text != v.text:
+			v.text = k.text
+		if (k is Label or k is Node2D):
+			mapping[k].global_position = k.global_position
+	# camera position
+	var orig_camera: Camera2D = NodeRegistry.player.camera
+	camera.global_position = -orig_camera.get_viewport_transform().origin

main.gd

@@ -3,5 +3,4 @@ extends Node
 func _ready() -> void:
 	NodeRegistry.player = %Player
 	NodeRegistry.level_root_container = %LevelRootContainer
-	NodeRegistry.level_text_root_container = %LevelTextRootContainer
 	Levels.load_menu()

main.tscn

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://main.gd" id="1_m407c"]
 [ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://dxp3dru2lrv6h" path="res://core/shaders/outline/outline_canvas_layer.tscn" id="2_ta1pa"]
 [ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://jmy11lqcs4c" path="res://core/shaders/distortion/distortion_canvas_layer.tscn" id="3_emkei"]
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://core/text_viewport.gd" id="4_hxymt"]
 [ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://ebb4pfxklatj" path="res://player/player.tscn" id="5_0agpg"]
-[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://core/shadowing_camera_2d.gd" id="5_rlmue"]
 
 [node name="Main" type="Control"]
 layout_mode = 3
@@ -54,13 +54,13 @@ handle_input_locally = false
 canvas_item_default_texture_filter = 0
 size = Vector2i(800, 450)
 render_target_update_mode = 4
+script = ExtResource("4_hxymt")
 
 [node name="LevelTextRootContainer" type="Node2D" parent="TextViewportContainer/TextViewport"]
 unique_name_in_owner = true
 
-[node name="ShadowingCamera2D" type="Camera2D" parent="TextViewportContainer/TextViewport"]
+[node name="Camera2D" type="Camera2D" parent="TextViewportContainer/TextViewport"]
 editor_description = "Shadows the camera in MainViewportContainer"
 anchor_mode = 0
-script = ExtResource("5_rlmue")
 
 [node name="DistortionShader" parent="." instance=ExtResource("3_emkei")]