Livestreaming osu!

This guide will show you how to livestream osu! on Twitch using OBS Studio. Doing so is relatively simple, although it might require a powerful computer able to run and livestream osu! at the same time.

Twitch

If you have not already, sign up for a Twitch account.

Now you will need to setup your account for livestreaming osu!. From the main page, click on your avatar in the top right and select Creator Dashboard from the list.

Entering the Creator Dashboard

Creator Dashboard is the place where you can configure your stream information, chat moderation, profile info, and more. For now, we will focus on stream information. From the main page of the dashboard, click on the Stream Manager button on the left, and then choose the Edit Stream Info option on the right.

A dialog will open for you to enter your stream's information. You can fill the fields however you want; however, the title should comprehend what the stream will be about and also be inviting for people viewing the list of available streams. The category must be set to the game you are playing at the moment, which would be osu!.

Editing your stream's information

After editing your stream's information, click the Done button. Now click on the Preferences button on the left, then Channel. Look for the Primary Stream key field and click Copy. Do not share this key — it allows for streaming on your behalf. For now, paste the copied stream key in a notepad.

Getting the stream key

OBS Studio

After you create and configure your Twitch account, the next thing you will need is a streaming app. This guide will use OBS Studio; however, you are free to check any other alternatives (e.g. XSplit Broadcaster).

Proceed to OBS Studio's website and download the installer for your operating system. Open the installer and follow the steps to install the app.

Configuring OBS Studio

When you launch OBS Studio for the first time, the auto-configuration wizard will open. Choose Optimize for streaming, recording is secondary and click Next.

OBS Studio's auto-configuration wizard

The next section to be configured are video settings. Choose the resolution of your screen for the Base (Canvas) Resolution field (should be detected automatically), and Either 60 or 30, but prefer 60 when possible for the FPS field.

Finally, you will need to configure the stream information for OBS Studio to livestream on Twitch. Click the Use Stream Key button, and enter the Primary Stream key that was copied earlier into the field. Leave other options checked as they are, and click Next.

Configuring stream information in OBS Studio

After this, OBS Studio will auto-configure itself to find the best settings for your device. Click Apply Settings when this is completed.

Adding a scene

The last thing you will need to start streaming is a scene containing the osu! window. To create one, right-click on the Scenes box from OBS Studio's main window and select Add to be prompted with a scene creation window. Name it "osu!", and click OK to continue.

Now OBS Studio needs a source to capture osu!. First, open osu!, then — in OBS Studio — right-click on the Sources box and select Add -> Game Capture. This will open the source selection dialog. You can name the source as "osu!", but it can be whatever you want, then click OK. Select Capture specific window from the Mode dropdown then select [osu!.exe]: osu! from the Window list.

Capturing the osu! window in OBS Studio

If everything goes right, you should see the osu! window in the preview.

Stream preview in OBS Studio

What's next?

Now, after you configure OBS Studio and your Twitch account, click Start Streaming in OBS Studio to make a livestream. Your stream will appear on Twitch and osu! website's livestream listing in a couple of minutes. That's all you need to know to start your journey with streaming. Of course we have only covered the basics of livestreaming, and there are many things you can still do, with the most important of them being:

• Find the best streaming settings. The automatically configured settings provided by OBS Studio might not be perfect for your device. So check if your livestream is working fine and what needs to be improved to provide the best experience for your viewers.
• Build a community. This one is probably the hardest, as building your own community from scratch requires insane amounts of dedication and time.
• Improve livestream quality. This can include adding new overlays, camera capture, scene transition effects, osu!-specific plugins, Twitch chat display, Twitch integrity, and many more. You can also improve your channel's appearance by setting an avatar, banner, and general info.
• ...and most importantly, have fun!