OwnchatBot

OwnchatBot

A chatbot for Owncast, where viewers earn points which can be redeemed for stream rewards, and streamers can monetize their streams using Kofi integration.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Screenshots
• Roadmap
• Installation
• Running OwnchatBot
• Final Configuration
• Rewards Queue
• Kofi Integration
• Overlays
• Support
• Contributing
• License
• Attribution

Features

• Compatible with Owncast v0.2.4.
• The standard chat points/rewards system most of us are familiar with. Viewer redeems their points for a reward, streamer does/says a thing.
• Voting. The streamer can create votes, and viewers can vote for them.
  • The current vote tally can be set up as a browser source, to display on-screen.
• Special rewards that will run commands for things like triggering webhooks and running scripts.
• Goals that viewers can collectively contribute points to for rewards.
  • Goal progress can be set up as a browser source in your streaming software, to display on-screen.
  • Milestones can be set up within goals, for little rewards along the way.
• Cool down timers for rewards and specials.
• Automated announcements at regular intervals.
• Web based viewer panel for viewing the reward queue, and points and reward information.
• Web based management panel.
  • Configure OwnchatBot settings, Owncast integration and Kofi integration.
  • Add/edit/remove rewards and reward categories.
  • Viewer management for manually adjusting viewers' points.
  • A queue manager, where the streamer can mark rewards fulfilled as they go, or refund rewards if needed.
• Kofi integration.
  • Your viewers can get points for donating via Kofi, and as part of their monthly Kofi membership.
• To-do list. Add tasks and cross them off as you complete them.
  • Customizable overlay to display the list on your stream.

Screenshots

Votes and Goals Overlays

Viewer Panel

  

Management Panel

                    

Roadmap

Not necessarily in this order

• Streak tracker, to track how many consecutive streams a viewer has watched, and reward accordingly
• Get emojis in OwnchatBot panels working correctly, because my partner insists on it
• Audible sound when a goal is reached
• Option to only allow authenticated users, or Kofi subscribers to redeem certain rewards.
• !Timer - Set a timer that will sound an audible alarm. A command only available to the streamer or mods.
• A "watch" function that watches chat for certain words or phrases, and responds with preset messages.

Installation

These instructions assume that you have git, and a recent version of python installed.

1. You can simply download the zip/tar file from the git repo, and decompress it, but I recommend cloning the repo instead. It will make upgrading to future versions much easier.

   git clone https://git.deadtom.me/deadtom/OwnchatBot.git
   

2. At the command line, descend into the "OwnchatBot" folder.

3. To start the install, run:

   bash install.sh
   

4. The install script provides the URL for your OwnchatBot management panel. Bookmark it.

Upgrading

Make a backup of your OwnchatBot/instance folder.

Descend into the OwnchatBot directory. Run:

  git pull

If you installed by downloading from the repo, rather than doing a git clone, simply download the new version and extract the file over your existing installation.

Run the update script

This will make any necessary upgrades to your existing database and config files. Run:

  bash update.sh

Running OwnchatBot

Port 8081 used here as an example. Change it to whatever port you'd like your bot to listen on. Run OwnchatBot:

env/bin/python -m gunicorn -b 0.0.0.0:8081 -w 1 'ownchatbot:create_app()'

The above command directs all output to the console, but I prefer to have it all dump into a log file. You can do this with a small modification to this command:

env/bin/python -m gunicorn --error-logfile ownchatbot.log -b 0.0.0.0:8081 -w 1 'ownchatbot:create_app()'

Final configuration

Once OwnchatBot is running, you can start setting up your rewards and other options via the Management Panel at the URL provided by the install script. Authentication is handled using your Owncast server as an IndieAuth server. Your login credentials are the same credentials you use to log into your Owncast Admin page.

The first thing you'll want to visit is the settings page. Each option is explained in detail. Then you'll need to get it talking to your Owncast instance, and Kofi if you'll be using it, both covered below.

Rewards queue

Also provided by the install script. The queue will refresh every 30 seconds to keep you up to date on your viewers' redeemed rewards. You can mark them as fulfilled as you go, or refund points when necessary.

Owncast connection

OwnchatBot accesses Owncast chat room information via a webhook. You'll need to point Owncast at that webhook for things to function.

1. Go to your Owncast Admin panel -> Integrations -> Webhooks
2. Click on "Create Webhook"
3. In the top field, enter OwnchatBot's address and port which you set up in the "Running OwnchatBot" section, with /chatHook appended (Example: http://localhost:8081/chatHook).
4. Click the "Select All" button.
5. Click "OK"

Owncast viewer panel button

You need to create a button on your Owncast page, so your viewers can access the Rewards Panel to view their points, the rewards queue, and other helpful information. This will only work with an SSL enabled server. If you're running Owncast behind a reverse proxy (which you really should be) then you need to set up another reverse proxy for OwnchatBot. Sorry, you're on your own for how to do that. It's way outside the scope of this document.

1. Go to your Owncast Admin panel -> Integrations -> External Actions.
2. Click on "Create New Action"

3. Set the second field to your external OwnchatBot server address, and the port you set up in the "Running OwnchatBot" section, with /userpanel appended. Example:

   https://<your_external.ownchatbot.url>/userpanel
   

4. Set the third field (action title) to "Stream Rewards". Example:

   Action Title: Stream Rewards
   

5. Configure the remaining fields/options as desired.

Kofi Integration

Make sure you don't lose your viewers' benefits! It is extremely important that you back up your instance folder daily, if not hourly.

Integration is accomplished via a webhook triggered by Kofi every time a donation or subscription is made. Again, this webhook is your external OwnchatBot server address with /kofiHook appended.

Paste the webhook address into Kofi -> More -> API -> Webhooks -> Webhook URL.

  https://<your_external.ownchatbot.url>/kofiHook

Click "Update", but stay on this page.

You need the verification token the Kofi to send when it triggers the webhook. Below "Webhook URL", click on "Advanced". A pre-generated token will already be there. Copy that token, and paste it into the OCB Management Panel -> Settings -> Kofi Integration -> Verification Token. Then click "Save Changes".

OwnchatBot associates viewer accounts with Kofi accounts using the viewer's email address. So in order for viewers to get Kofi benefits in-stream, they must enter their email address in OwnchatBot viewer panel -> OwnchatBot Info -> Kofi. It must be the same email address associated with their Kofi account.

If a viewer donates/subscribes before entering their email address, OwnchatBot creates a temporary entry with their email and points award, and then applies it once the viewer enters their email address into the viewer panel. If there is any sort of mix-up here, the streamer can manually connect the viewer's email and account via the management panel by entering the email into the viewers account. OwnchatBot will do the merge automatically.

Email addresses are ONLY used for Kofi integration. They are not sent to any other individual or company, will not be used to create or send mailing lists of any kind, or for any other purposes. Ever.

Overlays

To display vote and goal progress on-screen, in your stream, you need to create two browser sources in your streaming software.

Votes: http://localhost:8081/votes

• Recommended width: 420
• Recommended height: 150
• In OBS, check "Refresh browser source when scene becomes active"

Goals http://localhost:8081/goals

• Recommended width: 610
• Recommended height: 210
• In OBS, check "Refresh browser source when scene becomes active"

To-do list http://localhost:8081/todo

• Recommended width: 225
• Recommended height: 350
• Custom CSS can be added in the management panel

Support

For support (a bug, feature request/tweak, question or comment), you can contact DeadTOm via the following methods:

• Mastodon
• Email: deadtom@deadtom.me
• XMPP: deadtom@deadtom.me

Contributing

If you are thrilled to death with OwnchatBot, and want to throw a bit of monetary love DeadTOm's way, you can do so via Kofi. If you'd like to contribute code, contact DeadTOm about setting up an account on his Gogs instance.

License

OwnchatBot © 2025 by DeadTOm is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.

Attribution

The SmallRobo image was created by Mike Carey, mikecarey134@gmail.com. I've modified the image, but you can find the original image at Open Game Art. At the time of this writing, it is released under a Creative Commons CC-BY 3 license.

The basic layout of the user and management panels was copied from the tab bar tutorial on w3schools.com.

The overlays screenshot was provided by Wonderwmn, from one of her co-working streams.

The food that keeps me alive during all-weekend coding sessions is also provided by Wonderwmn.