Version with bg (only when sending metta)

talismetta/config.h

 // scan for the other one, and not for itself).
 
 
-#define SHALOM "30:C6:F7:1D:A6:20"
+#define SHALOM "08:F9:E0:D1:28:4C"
 #define SALAM "30:C6:F7:1D:A2:5C"

talismetta/talismetta.ino

 #include <esp_now.h>
 #include <TFT_eSPI.h>
 #include "config.h"
-#include "shalomorph.h"
 #include "shalom.h"
+#include "shalombg.h"
 #include "salam.h"
-#include "salamorph.h"
-#include "together.h"
+#include "salambg.h"
+#include "togetherbg.h"
 #include "talis.h"
 #include "metta.h"
 #include "loving.h"
 #include "mybird.h"
 #include "yourbird.h"
 
-#define DEBUG true
+#define DEBUG false // note: it's easier to read the MAC address if DEBUG is false
 
 #define BUTTON1PIN ((gpio_num_t)35)
 #define BUTTON2PIN ((gpio_num_t)0)
 bool nearby = false;
 
 
-#define NUM_FRAMES 23
+#define NUM_FRAMES 9
 enum frameType {
   FRAME_ME,
-  FRAME_ME2US,
   FRAME_US,
-  FRAME_US2U,
   FRAME_U
 };
 
 frameType frames[NUM_FRAMES] = {
-  FRAME_ME, FRAME_ME2US, FRAME_US, FRAME_US2U, FRAME_U, FRAME_U, FRAME_U,
-  FRAME_US2U,  FRAME_US, FRAME_US,  FRAME_US2U, FRAME_U, FRAME_U, FRAME_U,
-  FRAME_US2U, FRAME_US, FRAME_ME2US, FRAME_ME, FRAME_ME, FRAME_ME,
-  FRAME_ME, FRAME_ME, FRAME_ME
+  FRAME_ME, FRAME_US, FRAME_U,
+  FRAME_U, FRAME_US, FRAME_U,
+  FRAME_U, FRAME_US, FRAME_ME
 };
 
-const unsigned short *frame2image(frameType frame, bool is_salam) {
-  switch (frame) {
-    case FRAME_ME:
+const unsigned short *frame2image(frameType frame, bool is_salam, bool metta_from_me, bool metta_from_you) {
+  if (!metta_from_you) {
+    if (metta_from_me) {
+      return is_salam ? salambg : shalombg;
+    } else {
       return is_salam ? salam : shalom;
-    case FRAME_ME2US:
-      return is_salam ? salamorph : shalomorph;
-    case FRAME_US:
-      return together;
-    case FRAME_US2U:
-      return is_salam ? shalomorph : salamorph;
-    case FRAME_U:
-      return is_salam ? shalom : salam;
+    }
+  } else { // metta_from_you
+    switch (frame) {
+      case FRAME_ME:
+        return metta_from_me ? (is_salam ? salambg : shalombg) : (is_salam ? salam : shalom);
+      case FRAME_US:
+        return metta_from_me ? togetherbg : (is_salam ? salam : shalom);
+      case FRAME_U:
+        return (metta_from_me) ? (is_salam ? shalombg  : salambg) : (is_salam ?  salam : shalom);
+    }
   }
 }
 
 int current_frame = 0;
 unsigned long last_flip = 0;
 
-#define DURATION 100
+#define DURATION 250
 
 
 TFT_eSPI tft = TFT_eSPI();
   // FRAME_ME or animation frame
   background.pushImage(
     0, 0, 240, 135,
-    frame2image((metta_from_me_since && metta_from_you) ? frames[current_frame] : FRAME_ME, is_salam));
+    frame2image(frames[current_frame], is_salam, metta_from_me_since, metta_from_you));
 
-  // mybird
-  if (metta_from_me_since) {
+  // mybird (steady, pulse if metta_from_me_Since)
+  if (!metta_from_me_since || frames[current_frame] == FRAME_ME || frames[current_frame] == FRAME_US) {
     mybirdSprite.pushToSprite(&background, MYBIRD_X, MYBIRD_Y, TFT_BLACK);
   }
 
-  if (nearby && frames[current_frame] == FRAME_U) {
+  // yourbird (steady if nearby, heart beat if metta_from_you)
+  if (nearby && (!metta_from_you || frames[current_frame] == FRAME_U || frames[current_frame] == FRAME_US)) {
     yourbirdSprite.pushToSprite(&background, YOURBIRD_X, YOURBIRD_Y, TFT_BLACK);
   }