Rank information by how quickly it must be understood
Viewers glance at an overlay for a second or two. Decide what they need to recognise first: a Pokémon silhouette, nickname or types. Enable only the information that helps them follow the run.
In Stream → Display → Order, use the arrows to arrange Name/nickname, Types and Sprite from top to bottom within each slot. Put the sprite first or move the nickname next to the types. This order is saved with the game and applies to all four arrangements; hidden elements keep their position for when you enable them again.
This control does not change Pokémon order. To move team members, drag them in Configuration.
View a screenshot at broadcast size and reveal the overlay for two seconds. You should recognise the members without reading small text.
Reserve a safe area before choosing a layout
Do not place the team first and look for space afterwards. Capture a representative game scene and mark changing areas: dialogue boxes, battle menus, minimap, subtitles and channel alerts. The space that stays quiet in most situations is the safe area.
- 6×1 lower strip: useful when menus sit near the top or the scene already has a lower band.
- 1×6 side column: makes use of spare space around a 4:3 game inside a 16:9 canvas.
- 3×2 or 2×3 corner: reduces eye travel and usually fits scenes with a camera.
Check the safe area during battle, exploration, menus and cutscenes. Designing over one attractive screenshot often hides information at the moment it matters most.
Calculate scale from the final canvas
Evaluate the composition at the final OBS output resolution. A large preview can end up tiny on stream. Test all four arrangements with your chosen content order and leave room for names, types and the full extent of sprite animations.
The catalog includes games from generations 1–7, Shuffle, animated and static HOME, the static pixel art of Smogon Sprite Project, and Pokémon Añil and Pokémon Z styles. Choose a source for both its look and the variants you need. Fan-game species and exclusive forms depend on their own catalog: switching to HOME does not guarantee you can keep them.
Search thumbnails stay still even for animated styles. The team, variant picker and overlay can animate. A still thumbnail does not mean the style is static. Always check the sprites in your final scene.
Use motion to explain change, not as constant decoration
A catch, evolution and removal are different events. Motion can help viewers tell them apart, but continuous animation competes with the game. Keep transitions brief, return the team to a calm state and avoid stacking changes during important action.
Test five operations: add, edit, evolve, reorder and remove. If viewers can distinguish them without commentary, the visual language works. If every change looks like the same flash, simplify the effects and separate timing or direction.
Validate against four difficult scenes
- A bright screen that challenges pale text and sprites.
- A dark scene that tests outlines and transparent backgrounds.
- A battle with menus open to reveal overlaps.
- A mobile-sized player to verify real reading conditions.
Use a duplicate OBS scene for testing. The design is ready when it survives all four without live adjustments.