What Is a Server MOTD and Why Customize It?
Every time a player pings your Minecraft server or sees it in the multiplayer list, the first thing they notice is the MOTD — the Message of the Day. By default, it is a plain line of text that often just displays the server name and player count. But with a little creativity, you can turn that tiny space into a dynamic billboard that reflects your server’s personality, current events, or even the in-game weather. The Custom MOTD mod for Minecraft 1.7.10 Forge servers takes this idea and runs with it, giving you full control over both the MOTD and the player list tooltip without requiring any client-side installation.
Introducing Custom MOTD: A Server-Side Powerhouse
Custom MOTD is a lightweight, server-side mod built specifically for Forge 1.7.10. It allows you to craft randomized, multiline MOTDs and completely redesign the hover tooltip that appears when players mouse over the player count. Because it runs entirely on the server, your players don’t need to install anything extra — they simply see the polished results when they connect. The mod is based on p455w0rd’s original MOTD Customizer but expands it with new variables, hot reloading, and compatibility with popular modded content.
Dependencies and Setup
Starting from version 1.0.1, Custom MOTD requires UniMixins as a dependency. Make sure you have UniMixins installed in your server’s mods folder before adding Custom MOTD. Once both are in place, the mod will automatically generate two configuration files inside the <server root dir>/CustomMOTD folder: customotdlist.txt and customplayerlist.txt. These plain text files are where all the magic happens.
Configuring Your Dynamic MOTD
The customotdlist.txt file holds every possible MOTD line your server can display. Each line in the file is a separate entry, and the mod randomly picks one each time the server list is refreshed. You can add as many entries as you like, and you can even create multiline MOTDs — just use the pipe character | to break the text into the two lines that vanilla supports. For example:
Welcome to our survival world!|Enjoy your stay
This will show “Welcome to our survival world!” on the first line and “Enjoy your stay” on the second. If you want to disable a line temporarily, simply prefix it with # to comment it out. Special characters like |, &, and leading # can be escaped with a backslash if you need them to appear literally.
Powerful Variables for Real-Time Information
What makes Custom MOTD truly shine is its support for variables that pull live data from your server. You can weave these into your MOTD or player list tooltip to keep the information fresh and relevant. Here are the built-in variables you can use:
- {playercount} — current number of players online
- {maxplayers} — maximum player slots
- {difficulty} — server difficulty setting
- {mcversion} — Minecraft version the server runs
- {radio} — obfuscated radio bars for a retro touch
- {playerlist} — lists up to 10 online players (a backport from newer versions)
- {weather} — current weather, with configurable formatting
- {time} — in-game time, also format-configurable
- {time_of_the_day} — displays the time of day as a word, like Noon or Midnight
Imagine an MOTD that says “{playercount}/{maxplayers} adventurers exploring a {difficulty} world under a {weather} sky.” Every ping becomes a snapshot of your server’s current state.
Customizing the Player List Tooltip
The second configuration file, customplayerlist.txt, controls the tooltip that appears when a player hovers over the player count in the server list. By default, it shows a simple list of online players, but with Custom MOTD you can replace it with any template you design. Use the same variables and color codes to craft a tooltip that might display the current season, active modded events, or a welcome message alongside the player names. The {playerlist} variable is especially useful here, as it neatly inserts up to 10 player names into your custom layout.
Modded Compatibility and Extra Variables
Custom MOTD goes beyond vanilla by offering variables for several popular mods. If your server runs Random Things, you can use {rt_bloodmoon} to warn players of an impending Blood Moon. Lycanites Mobs servers can broadcast the active event with {lycanites_event}. For TerraFirmaCraft enthusiasts, a whole suite of variables is available: {tfc_season}, {tfc_day_of_month}, {tfc_day_of_week}, {tfc_day_of_year}, {tfc_month}, {tfc_month_name}, {tfc_year}, {tfc_hour}, and {tfc_temperature}. Note that the 1.7.10 port of Serene Seasons is currently broken, so the {serene_season} variable will not function until that is resolved. The mod author welcomes suggestions for additional modded variables, so you can request support for your favorite mods.
Color Codes and Formatting
All the standard Minecraft color codes and formatting options work inside your MOTD and tooltip templates using the ampersand & symbol. You can make text bold, italic, underlined, or strikethrough, and apply any of the 16 colors. For instance, &4&lDanger! &r&eBlood Moon rising! would render a red, bold “Danger!” followed by a yellow warning. This level of detail lets you match your server’s branding or create eye-catching alerts.
Hot Reloading and Server Info Updates
One of the most convenient features is the ability to change your MOTD and tooltip without restarting the server. The mod supports configurable update intervals for server information and a hot reload command. Simply run /cmotd_reload in the server console or as an operator, and the configuration files are re-read instantly. You can tweak the refresh rate of variables like player count or weather in the mod’s settings, ensuring that the displayed data is always up to date. This flexibility is perfect for servers that host events or want to reflect changing conditions in real time.
Managing mods like Custom MOTD can sometimes feel like a chore, especially when you are juggling multiple server-side additions. A modern solution is to use a launcher that streamlines the process. For example, the foxygame.net launcher offers a convenient, flexible way to browse and install mods directly from its menu, making it simple to add Custom MOTD to your server setup without digging through endless forum pages. This kind of tool keeps your mods organized and up to date, so you can focus on crafting the perfect welcome message.
TabFaces Compatibility and License
Custom MOTD also plays nicely with TabFaces, a mod that adds player faces to the tab list. The compatibility ensures that your custom tooltip and MOTD don’t interfere with other visual enhancements. The mod is released under the LGPLv3 license, meaning you are free to use, modify, and share it within the terms of that license. The source is available for those who want to tinker or contribute.
Conclusion: Make Your Server Stand Out
In a sea of generic Minecraft servers, a well-crafted MOTD and player list tooltip can be the difference between a curious click and a passed-over listing. Custom MOTD for 1.7.10 Forge gives you the tools to inject personality, real-time data, and modded flair into those first impressions. With its simple text-file configuration, rich variable system, and hot reload capability, it is a must-have for any server owner who values presentation. Whether you run a small community survival world or a heavily modded TerraFirmaCraft experience, this mod adapts to your needs and keeps your server looking fresh every time someone checks the multiplayer screen.