A Dalamud plugin that integrates Cactbot raidboss alerts, encounter timelines, and a real-time damage meter directly into Final Fantasy XIV - no external browser or overlay app required. Alerts are sent as native FFXIV toast notifications by default, keeping everything within the game UI.
This is still in development. UI elements are still being refined.
- Local relay HTTP server - spins up a lightweight TCP-based HTTP server that proxies the Cactbot raidboss overlay from the remote source, injects a relay script inline, and serves custom
raidboss-user.jstriggers. - Embedded headless Chromium - uses PuppeteerSharp to download and run a full headless Chromium browser (~150 MB, cached after first launch) that loads the proxied Cactbot overlay. No external browser or overlay app needed.
- WebSocket connection - connects to OverlayPlugin's
ws://127.0.0.1:10501/wsendpoint to subscribe to real-time events (zone changes, combat state, log lines, broadcast messages). - ImGui overlay windows - renders Cactbot alerts, encounter timelines, and a DPS meter directly in-game using Dalamud's ImGui rendering, so you see everything without alt-tabbing.
- Chat relay & toast notifications - by default, alerts are sent as native FFXIV toast notifications to keep everything within the game UI. Optionally, alerts can also be output to the in-game chat via the announcement channel.
- Raidboss alerts overlay - real-time Cactbot trigger alerts (Info / Alert / Alarm) rendered with per-type colours, smooth fade-out, and configurable display. Uses native FFXIV toast notifications by default.
- Encounter timeline overlay - upcoming boss abilities with countdown timers, progress bars, and configurable look-ahead.
- Damage meter overlay - real-time DPS meter with party DPS, personal DPS, encounter stats, and per-column colour scheme.
- Customisable text appearance - multiple font presets (FFXIV Axis, Dalamud Default, Dalamud Mono, FFXIV Jupiter, FFXIV Trump Gothic), adjustable font scale, custom text colours, and optional text outlines.
- Toast notifications - alerts can be sent as native FFXIV toasts via the game's toast system (default mode).
- Chat announcements - outputs Cactbot triggers and alerts directly to the in-game chat via announcement channels.
- Server info bar (DTR) entries - optional party DPS and personal DPS displayed in the server info bar.
- Move mode - drag any overlay to reposition it with
/cactbridge move. Lock positions to prevent accidental dragging. - Configurable overlay sizing - adjust width and height independently for each overlay.
- Per-overlay enable/disable - toggle each overlay (alerts, timeline, damage meter) on or off from the settings.
- Background browser status - see the headless Chromium state (Downloading, Launching, Running, Error) in the config window.
- Auto-reconnecting WebSocket - persistent connection to OverlayPlugin with automatic reconnect on failure.
- ACT log forwarding - forwards ACT log lines and zone change events into the headless browser's Cactbot event system, ensuring timelines load and update correctly.
- Designed for Steam Deck and Windows - built to run on both platforms without extra hassle.
- There is a plugin similar to this but I honestly don't remember what it is called as I believe they renamed themselves. The logic worked kinda the same but the approach is different and I was aiming for a one click solution - no messing around with browser paths etc.
This plugin was created purely for my portfolio to demonstrate working with C# and various APIs (Dalamud, PuppeteerSharp, WebSocket, HTTP). There will be no support provided, but assuming the Dalamud API doesn't massively change, I will keep it updated.
- Dalamud / XIVLauncher
- IINACT - must be running with its WebSocket server on port 10501 (default)
- Cactbot
This plugin will not be submitted to the official Dalamud plugin repository.
To install it, add the following URL to Dalamud's settings under external plugin repositories:
https://snatmte.github.io/CactBridge/plugin.json
Use at your own risk. This plugin is provided as-is with no guarantees of stability, compatibility, or ongoing support.