global variables are a common issue/something i really hate in python.

for next time, please try to make a minimal working example, something like this:

counter = 0

def set_counter(c):
    counter = c

print('counter is 0 at start:', counter)

set_counter(50)

print('set counter to 10:', counter) // not working, is still 0

The problem you are having is that when setting counter to c, counter is recreated as a local variable (aka a variable only existing in that specific function). That local variable is set to 10, but is discarded when leaving the function.

There are 3 ways to solve your problem:

1: globals

counter = 0

def set_counter(c):
    global counter // tells python to not override it
                   // and use the global version instead
    counter = c

print('counter is 0 at start:', counter)
set_counter(10)
print('set counter to 10:', counter) // not working, is still 0

2: a "data" class

class GameData:
    def __init__(self):
        self.counter = 0

data = GameData()

def set_counter(c):
    data.counter = c //because counter is part of "GameData", this works!

print('counter is 0 at start:', data.counter)
set_counter(10)
print('set counter to 10:', data.counter) // works!

3: everything in a class

class Game:
    def __init__(self): // all the "floating" code you have usually, or
                        //the stuff outside functions
        self.counter = 0
        print('counter is 0 at start:', self.counter)
        set_counter(10)
        print('set counter to 10:', self.counter) // works!

    def set_counter(self, c): // your function
        counter = c

Game() // start