6 Steps: Enable Horizontal Chat in OBS | StreamerBot

Tired of the monotonous vertical chat layout in your OBS Streamerbot streams? Embark on a visual adventure and transform your chat experience with the captivating horizontal chat feature. Say goodbye to the limitations of the standard setup and embrace a captivating new way to engage with your viewers. Unleash the potential for seamless interaction, tailored to your unique streaming style and audience preferences. Join the ranks of innovative streamers who have already discovered the transformative power of horizontal chat and elevate your streams to unparalleled heights.

Transitioning to horizontal chat in OBS Streamerbot is a breeze, empowering you to customize your stream’s aesthetics effortlessly. Whether you prefer a sleek and minimalist design or a vibrant and immersive experience, the horizontal chat feature offers a versatile canvas for your creativity. Explore a wide range of customization options, from font selection to color themes, ensuring that your chat perfectly complements your stream’s overall ambiance. Let your personality shine through and create a visually stunning environment where your viewers can connect and engage with you in a truly captivating way.

Beyond its aesthetic appeal, horizontal chat also enhances the functionality of your OBS Streamerbot. With the chat messages flowing horizontally across the screen, viewers have an unobstructed view of every message, fostering a more inclusive and engaging chat environment. The horizontal layout frees up valuable screen real estate, allowing you to showcase your gameplay, overlays, and other stream elements without sacrificing chat visibility. Whether you’re hosting lively discussions, running giveaways, or simply interacting with your viewers, horizontal chat empowers you to connect with your audience on a deeper level, creating a more immersive and engaging streaming experience for all.

Configure StreamerBot for Horizontal Chat

To configure StreamerBot for horizontal chat, follow these steps:

Create a WebSocket URL for your bot in StreamerBot:
- Open the StreamerBot dashboard and navigate to the "Websockets" tab.
- Click on "Create a New Socket."
- Select "Bot" as the socket type.
- Enter a name for the socket, such as "HorizontalChat."
- Click on "Add."
- Once you have created the socket, copy the WebSocket URL that appears in the field next to "Button."
- This URL will be used to connect your bot to StreamerBot and enable horizontal chat.
Add the WebSocket URL to your OBS configuration:
- Open OBS Studio and click on "Sources."
- Right-click anywhere in the Source area and select "Add" > "Browser."
- In the Browser Source settings, paste the WebSocket URL you copied into the "URL" field.
- Set the "Width" and "Height" fields to the desired dimensions for your horizontal chat.
- Click on "OK" to add the Browser Source to your scene.
Set up the Browser Source:
- Click on the Browser Source in your OBS scene and select "Properties."
- Navigate to the "Web Page" tab.
- In the "Custom Browser CSS" field, paste the following CSS code:
```
html, body {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.chat {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  background-color: #000;
  color: #fff;
  font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
  line-height: 1.5em;
  font-size: 1.2rem;
  overflow: auto;
}
```
  - This CSS code sets the dimensions, background color, font, and scrolling behavior for your horizontal chat.
Connect your bot to StreamerBot:
- Open a terminal or command prompt.
- Navigate to the directory where your bot is installed.
- Run the following command:
```
pythonw your_bot.py --websocket-url ws://localhost:35160/websocket/<WebSocket URL>
```
  - Replace <WebSocket URL> with the WebSocket URL you created in Step 1.
  - This command will connect your bot to StreamerBot and allow you to use horizontal chat.

Customize the Chatbox Appearance

Configuration

Navigate to the “Chat Box” tab within OBS Studio. To customize the chatbox appearance, you need to modify the source settings of the streamerbot chatbox source. By default, the chatbox is named “Chat Box”.

Chatbox Properties

Within the “Chat Box” source settings, you can adjust various properties that govern the appearance and behavior of the chatbox.

Here are the key properties:

Property	Description
Position	Sets the position of the chatbox within the OBS preview window.
Size	Determines the dimensions of the chatbox.
Vertical/Horizontal	Changes the orientation of the chatbox to be displayed vertically or horizontally.
Chat Font	Allows you to select the font used for displaying chat messages.
Font Size	Sets the size of the chat font.
Font Color	Specifies the color of the chat font.
Background Color	Sets the color of the chatbox background.
Opacity	Controls the transparency of the chatbox background.

Advanced Customization

For more advanced customization options, you can explore the “Advanced” tab within the “Chat Box” source settings. Here, you can modify the chatbox’s position, padding, and alignment within the OBS overlay. Additionally, you can enable or disable chat commands, configure emote settings, and customize the scrolling behavior of the chatbox.

Manage Chat Moderation Tools

Streamers need to stay in control of their chat to ensure a positive and inclusive environment for their viewers. OBS Streamerbot provides a range of chat moderation tools that make managing the chat a breeze.

Banning and Unbanning Users

To ban a user, type /ban [username] in the chat window. To unban a user, type /unban [username]. Alternatively, you can click on the user’s name in the chat list and select “Ban” or “Unban” from the context menu.

Timing Users Out

Timing out a user temporarily removes them from the chat for a specified period. To time out a user, type /timeout [username] [duration] in the chat window. Duration can be specified in seconds, minutes, or hours (e.g., /timeout
[username] 60s for a 60-second timeout).

Adding and Removing Moderators

Moderators can help you manage the chat by performing actions like banning and timing out users. To add a moderator, type /mod [username] in the chat window. To remove a moderator, type /unmod [username].

Configuring Chat Filters

Chat filters can be used to automatically filter out certain words or phrases from the chat. To configure chat filters, click on the “Settings” tab in the Streamerbot window and go to the “Chat Filters” section. You can add new filters by clicking the “Add Filter” button.

Moderation Commands Table

Command	Description
/ban [username]	Bans a user from the chat
/unban [username]	Unbans a user from the chat
/timeout [username] [duration]	Times out a user for a specified duration
/mod [username]	Adds a user as a moderator
/unmod [username]	Removes a user as a moderator

Utilize Chat Restricting and Banning Features

Horizontal chat mode provides powerful tools to manage your stream’s chat and ensure a positive and inclusive environment. One of the most crucial aspects is the ability to restrict and ban users who violate your chat rules or exhibit inappropriate or harmful behavior.

Chat Restrictions:

Chat restrictions allow you to temporarily limit a user’s ability to send messages in the chat. This is a less drastic measure than a ban and can be used to address minor infractions such as excessive spamming or trolling.

To restrict a user, type “/restrict [username]” in the chat window. The user will receive a notification that they have been restricted and will be unable to send messages for a specified period (typically 10 minutes).

Chat Bans:

Chat bans are used for more serious violations of your chat rules or for users who persistently disrupt the chat environment. Banned users are permanently prohibited from sending messages in your chat.

To ban a user, type “/ban [username]” in the chat window. The user will be immediately removed from the chat and will not be able to rejoin unless unbanned by a moderator or yourself.

Additional Banning Options:

Horizontal chat mode provides additional options for customized banning:

Ban Type	Description
Timeout	Temporarily bans a user for a specified duration (e.g., 5 minutes).
Global Ban	Bans a user from all chats on your channel, regardless of which bot is active.
Permanent Ban	Bans a user indefinitely from your chat.

By utilizing these banning and restriction features, you can maintain a safe and enjoyable chat environment for your viewers, fostering a positive and inclusive community.

Enhance Chat Interaction with Games and Quizzes

Games and Quizzes in Chat

OBS Streamerbot offers a range of games and quizzes that you can use to engage your viewers and foster a sense of community. These games, such as trivia quizzes, Pictionary, and word puzzles, can be integrated seamlessly into your chat window.

Benefits of Games and Quizzes

Incorporating games and quizzes into your stream provides several benefits:

Increases viewer engagement
Builds a sense of community
Provides entertainment and breaks up monotony

Setting Up Games and Quizzes

To set up games and quizzes, you need to enable the “Games and Quizzes” module in the Streamerbot settings. Once enabled, you can access various game categories and select the ones you want to add to your chat.

Customizing Games and Quizzes

You can customize games and quizzes to suit your preferences. For example, you can adjust the difficulty level, set time limits, and choose which viewers are eligible to participate.

Encouraging Participation

To encourage viewers to participate in games and quizzes, consider offering rewards or incentives. This can help foster a sense of competition and add an extra layer of excitement.

Moderation and Management

It’s important to moderate games and quizzes to ensure a positive and respectful environment. Use Streamerbot’s moderation tools to prevent spam, trolling, and any inappropriate behavior.

Analytics and Insights

Streamerbot provides analytics and insights on the performance of your games and quizzes. This data can help you understand which games are most popular and how you can optimize them for better engagement.

Integrating Third-Party Games and Quizzes

OBS Streamerbot allows you to integrate third-party games and quizzes into your stream. By leveraging the extensive library of games and quizzes available online, you can offer a wide variety of experiences to your viewers.

Game Category	Example Games
Trivia	General knowledge, pop culture, history
Word Games	Scrabble, Wordle, Anagrams
Drawing Games	Pictionary, Draw Something

Improve Chat Engagement Using Polls and Giveaways

Use Polls to Gather Feedback and Drive Conversation

Polls are an excellent way to engage your viewers and gather their opinions. Use them to ask questions about your content, stream setup, or upcoming topics. The results can provide valuable insights and help you tailor your stream to your audience’s preferences.

Types of Polls:

Multiple Choice: Present multiple options for viewers to choose from.
Yes/No: Ask binary questions for a quick and straightforward vote.
Slider: Allow viewers to rate or scale their responses on a scale.
Open-Ended: Encourage viewers to share their thoughts in their own words.

Host Giveaways and Contests to Reward Viewers

Giveaways and contests are a popular way to show appreciation to your viewers and create excitement within your stream. Offer prizes that are relevant to your niche or that your viewers would find valuable. This can help foster a sense of community and encourage repeat viewership.

Types of Giveaways:

Type	Description
Raffle	Randomly select a winner from all participants.
Subscriber Draw	Limit participation to current subscribers.
Redemption Giveaway	Require viewers to redeem a specific channel reward to enter.

Set Up and Manage Polls and Giveaways with OBS Streamerbot

OBS Streamerbot offers a user-friendly interface for setting up and managing polls and giveaways. Simply add the Streamerbot widget to your OBS scene, configure the settings, and start interacting with your viewers.

Steps for Setting Up a Poll:

Create a new poll in Streamerbot.
Add your poll question and options.
Choose the display settings and duration.
Add the poll widget to your OBS scene.

Steps for Setting Up a Giveaway:

Create a new giveaway in Streamerbot.
Set up the prize and entry requirements.
Configure the draw settings and duration.
Add the giveaway widget to your OBS scene.

How to Do Horizontal Chat in OBS Streamerbot

To do horizontal chat in OBS Streamerbot, you will need to follow these steps:

Open OBS Streamerbot and go to the “Settings” tab.
Under the “Chat” tab, find the “Chat Position” section.
In the “Horizontal Position” field, enter a value between 0 and 100. This value will determine how far the chat is from the left side of the screen.
Click the “Apply” button to save your changes.