Whether you’re a professional streamer or a casual gamer wanting to share your epic moments, the name “OBS” should ring a bell. This free software is a fan-favorite when it comes to recording or streaming games, and if you’ve been thinking of getting started with it as well, you’ve come to the right place!
How To Install and Set Up OBS?
Installing and setting up OBS with the right settings can be a daunting task, but you can simplify the entire process by following the steps below:
- Download OBS Studio from their official website.
- Once downloaded, double-click on the installer .exe file to launch the setup.
- You’ll eventually be prompted to select optimization for either recording or streaming. Select the option that best suits your needs. You can always change this setting by going to the Tools menu → Auto-Configuration Wizard.
- Make sure that the volume meters for your Desktop/Audio and Mic/Aux are working properly by trying to move them. In order to change the device being captured, go to Settings (in the bottom-right of the screen) → Audio and choose the devices manually.
- Visit Settings → Advanced.
- Set the Process Priority to High.
With this, you can now move on to record and stream games with the optimal settings for each task!
How To Record Games Using OBS?
We all have those insane clutches that we wish we had the foresight to hit the record button on. So, here’s how you can set up OBS with the best settings to make sure you capture your best gaming moments:
- Launch OBS.
- Visit Settings → Output tab and use the toggle next to Output Mode at the top to select Advanced.
- Go to the Recording tab and set the Recording Path to where you’d like to see your recordings saved.
- Next, set the Video Encoder option to the choice corresponding to your GPU. For example, if you have a NVIDIA GPU, we’d suggest using the NVIDIA NVENC H.264 encoder.
- Set the Audio Encoder option to FFmpeg AAC.
- In the Encoder Settings sections, set Rate Control to CQP.
- Set your CQP Level to any value between 15 and 20. If you want to prioritize video quality, then we suggest setting it to 15. However, if you’re short on space and don’t want large file sizes, then you can set it to 20.
- Lastly, set your Keyframe Interval to 2 s.
- Now, go to the Audio tab on the left-hand pane and set the audio devices to the ones that you’ll be using.
- Click on Apply on the bottom-right of the menu and close the pop-up.
Great! You’re now all set up to start recording your gameplay. Here’s how you can do it:
- Launch the game you want to record.
- Once your game has launched, return to OBS main menu and click on the + button under the Sources section at the bottom of the screen.
- Select the Display Capture option.
- Give a convenient name to the source and press OK.
- Select the display running the game you want to record and press OK.
- If the preview isn’t scaled properly, simply right-click on the preview and select Transform → Fit to screen.
- Once ready, click on the Start Recording button located on the bottom-right section of the menu.
After following these steps, you can now return to your game and start playing while OBS automatically records your gameplay. However, it’s important to note that you might experience minor FPS drops in-game since you’ll be running a background app.
How To Stream Games With OBS?
Streaming gameplay has become a popular way for gamers to share their experiences, connect with like-minded individuals, and even build a career. Here’s how you can get started with streaming using OBS:
- Launch OBS.
- Visit Settings → Output tab on the left-hand pane and set the Output Mode to Advanced.
- In the Streaming tab, make sure that the Audio Encoder is set to FFmpeg AAC.
- The Video Encoder should be set to the choice corresponding to your GPU. For example, if you have a NVIDIA GPU, we’d suggest using the NVIDIA NVENC H.264 encoder.
- In the Encoder Settings section, set the Rate Control to CBR.
- While the Bitrate value should be set depending on how strong your internet connection is, a good starting value is 6000 kbps.
- Set the Preset to P5: Slow (Good Quality).
- For the Multipass Mode choice, choose the Two Passes (Full Resolution) option.
- Once done, go to the Audio tab and set the Audio Bitrate to the highest value possible.
- Now go to the Audio tab on the left-hand pane and set the audio devices to the ones that you’ll be using
- Click on Apply on the bottom-right of the menu and close the pop-up.
Congratulations! Now you’ve optimally set up OBS to stream your games. To start streaming, you can follow the simple steps below:
- Launch the game that you want to stream.
- Once launched, open OBS and click on the + sign on the bottom-left of the main menu to create a Scene.
- Give the new Scene an appropriate name and press OK.
- Next, click on the + sign inside the Sources box and select Display Capture.
- Select the Create new option, label the new source, and click OK.
- In the Display option, make sure to choose the monitor you’re currently gaming on.
- To connect a mic, click on the + sign inside the Sources box again and this time select Audio Input Capture and follow the subsequent steps.
- Similarly, if you want to add a webcam, press the Sources + sign and select Video Capture Device to set your webcam source.
- Now, go to Settings → Stream and select the platform you want to stream on.
- Enter your Stream Key.
- Finally, you can hit the Start Streaming button on the bottom-right of the screen to begin your streaming journey!
Final Thoughts
Free third-party apps like OBS are a gift to the gaming community, allowing players to share their gaming experiences with the world. Moreover, it serves as an excellent alternative for games that lack built-in match replay systems.