Whale Detector Guide

What is the Whale Detector?#

The Whale Detector shows a real-time OBS widget alert the moment a ‘whale’ — a viewer with high platform-wide cumulative donations (star balloons) on SOOP — enters your stream and sends their first chat or donation. (Viewers who only lurk without any activity may not be detected.) Grades 1 (SVIP), 2 (VVIP), and 3 (VIP) are decided by platform-wide cumulative donation count over your chosen window (last 1 week or 1 month), and the alert shows the whale’s nickname alongside their today / this-week donation counts. Turn on ‘Whale Chat’ to also collect just the messages from whales who meet your threshold.

Before You Start#

• The Whale Detector works per SOOP broadcast channel. In the Whale Detector studio, create a setting with New and register the broadcast channel you want to monitor.
• The number of Whale Detectors you can create (slots) depends on your plan. If you run out of slots, clean up existing settings or upgrade to a higher plan.

Set Whale Criteria#

• Choose the window — 1 week or 1 month. Grades are decided by platform-wide cumulative donation count over this window.
• Enter the cumulative donation count threshold (or more) for each of Grade 1 (SVIP), Grade 2 (VVIP), and Grade 3 (VIP). The higher the threshold, the bigger the whales shown.
• Viewers below all thresholds (below Grade 3) are not shown in the alert. Use the preview to see how the nickname and today / this-week counts will look, and adjust font size, color, and more under Style.

Connect to OBS#

• Create a setting with New and the widget URL is generated automatically. Copy it with the copy button.
• In OBS, choose Add Source → Browser and paste the copied URL.
• Save the setting and an alert will appear automatically on your OBS screen when a whale enters and sends a first chat or donation. Changes to criteria or style apply immediately after saving.

Whale Chat (optional)#

• On the Whale Chat page, turn on Enable whale chat and set the cumulative donation count threshold (or more) and the window.
• You can then see only the chat from viewers who donated at or above the threshold platform-wide over the window — so you never miss a whale’s message mid-stream.

What is the Whale Detector and how do I use it?#

The Whale Detector shows a real-time OBS widget alert when a ‘whale’ viewer — one whose platform-wide cumulative donations (star balloons) on SOOP exceed your thresholds — enters your stream and sends their first chat or donation. (Viewers who only lurk without any activity may not be detected.)

• Grade tiers — Grade 1 (SVIP), Grade 2 (VVIP), and Grade 3 (VIP) are determined by platform-wide cumulative donation count over the window you choose (last 1 week or 1 month). Below Grade 3 is not shown.
• Entry alert — When a whale enters and first chats or donates, their nickname and today/this-week donation counts appear on your OBS widget.
• Whale Chat — Turn on ‘Whale Chat’ to collect only the chat messages from whales who meet your threshold.

How to use: ① Register a broadcast channel in the Whale Detector studio. ② Set whale criteria (cumulative donation count per grade) and the window (1 week / 1 month). ③ Create a URL and add it as an OBS browser source — alerts then appear automatically when a whale enters and first chats or donates.

See the Whale Detector guide for full details.

Whale Detector Ideas#

• React the instant a whale arrives: the SVIP / VVIP / VIP grade and nickname pop up the moment a whale enters and chats or donates, so you can recognize and greet your regulars right away.
• Grade-specific staging: style each grade differently (color, size) so an SVIP whale’s first activity (chat or donation) gets a flashier treatment that shows special appreciation.
• Focus on whales with Whale Chat: keep Whale Chat on to gather only the messages from high-cumulative-donation viewers, so you stay connected with your key supporters even during a busy stream.