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Set the Message of the Day (MOTD) in the Space Engineers dedicated-server configuration utility. Launch SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe, select the server instance, choose Continue to server configuration, open MotD – Message of the Day, enter your welcome text, and select Save config or Save & start. If the instance was already running, restart it when your deployment requires a reload.
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What the Space Engineers MOTD does
The MOTD is the connection message shown to players when they join your dedicated server. Keen Software House describes the field this way: “This message will show up to every player, when connected to the server.” It is useful for a short welcome, server rules, links to community information, scheduled-maintenance notices, or instructions that new players need before they begin building.
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The MOTD is configured per dedicated-server instance. Changing one instance does not automatically change another instance on the same machine, so select the correct server before editing. The standard dedicated-server utility also provides a separate URL field. A URL can be displayed in a web-browser popup rather than only in the in-game message.
Before you change the message
- Confirm that you administer the dedicated server instance you intend to edit.
- Identify whether the server is stopped, running in the foreground, or managed as a named service instance. The correct instance must be selected in the utility.
- If a hosting control panel starts and stops the server for you, check whether it expects configuration changes to be made in the panel instead of directly on disk.
- Keep a backup before using manual XML or provider-panel editing. A backup gives you a way to restore a known-good configuration if a malformed value prevents the server from starting.
- Prepare the text and, if required, the web address that should be available through the MOTD URL field.
There is no MOTD-specific statistic or required character count established in the official documentation. Keep the in-game message readable and put longer rules or documentation behind the optional URL.
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Set the MOTD in the official dedicated-server GUI
1. Start the dedicated-server tool
Run SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe. The utility presents the server instances available to that installation. Select the instance you want to modify. For a foreground server, this may be the Local/Console instance; a service deployment may instead show a named service instance.
Choosing the wrong instance is the most common reason a correctly entered message appears not to work. Match the instance name with the one your players actually use, especially when several worlds or services run on one host.
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Select Continue to server configuration. This opens the settings for the selected instance rather than immediately launching it.
3. Open the MotD section
In Server settings, open MotD – Message of the Day. You should see a field labeled Message of the Day and a separate field labeled Message of the Day URL.
4. Enter the connection message
Type the welcome or rules text into Message of the Day. Write the information players need at connection time: for example, a greeting followed by a rule about griefing, a reminder about the server’s time zone, or a direction to read the full rules page.
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The field is a server setting, not a chat command. Players will see it when they connect, so changing it does not require you to send a separate in-game message to everyone currently online.
5. Add an optional browser URL
If you maintain a rules page, map information page, or community site, enter its address in Message of the Day URL. The ModAPI documentation describes the corresponding setting, MessageOfTheDayUrl, as one that “Shows Gui Popup for players but in web browser.”
Use the URL field only for a page that your players can access. A private address, an expired page, or a link that requires permissions will make the popup less useful than leaving the field empty.
6. Insert variables when the GUI offers them
The GUI supports variables in the MOTD text. Use the field’s context menu to insert a variable rather than typing a variable name from memory. The utility replaces an inserted variable with its value when the message is displayed.
Because available variables can depend on the version and context of the dedicated-server tool, the context menu is the authoritative list for your installation. If a variable displays unexpectedly, remove it and insert it again from that menu.
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7. Save the configuration
Choose Save config to write the settings without starting the server, or choose Save & start to save and launch the instance in one operation.
If the server is already running, saving may not be enough for the connected process to reread the value. Use Restart after saving when your deployment requires a reload. A restart disconnects current players, so announce it first if the server is active.
Choosing the correct save and restart action
| Current state | Action in the utility | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Instance is stopped and you want to launch it | Save & start | The new MOTD is written and the instance starts. |
| Instance is stopped and you are preparing settings for later | Save config | The configuration is written without launching the server. |
| Instance is running and supports a normal restart | Save, then Restart | Players disconnect while the process reloads the saved configuration. |
| Instance is controlled by a hosting panel | Use the panel’s save and restart controls when required | The panel may overwrite direct file changes or require its own restart sequence. |
The exact need for a restart depends on how the instance is deployed and when it reads its configuration. If players still see the previous message after a save, stop or restart the instance through its normal management route and test with a fresh connection.
What the underlying configuration names mean
When a host exposes raw configuration fields, the official ModAPI names are useful:
| Configuration name | Documented behavior | Use |
|---|---|---|
MessageOfTheDay |
“Shows Gui Popup for players” | The in-game connection message. |
MessageOfTheDayUrl |
“Shows Gui Popup for players but in web browser” | The optional address opened through a browser popup. |
These names matter when a managed host labels fields differently, when an administrator edits a provider-generated configuration, or when tooling reads and writes dedicated-server settings. They do not change the normal GUI procedure: edit the MotD section, save, and reload the running instance if necessary.
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Manual configuration: when and how to use it safely
The dedicated-server utility includes Edit config for administrators who need to edit the configuration file directly. This route can help when the graphical interface is unavailable, when a host exposes only file access, or when an administrator needs to inspect the exact values being written.
- Stop the server first if the installation or hosting panel requires the process to be offline before a file is changed.
- Create a backup of the current configuration file. Keep the backup outside any automated folder that the host may overwrite.
- Open Edit config or the configuration file supplied by the host’s control panel.
- Locate the fields corresponding to
MessageOfTheDayand, if needed,MessageOfTheDayUrl. - Change only the intended values. Preserve the file’s existing XML structure and escaping.
- Save the file, close the editor, and start or restart the server through its normal management route.
- Connect with a test account and verify both the message and the URL popup.
Do not assume that a path from one installation applies to another. A self-hosted installation, a service wrapper, and a managed provider can store or generate configuration in different locations. If a control panel has its own editor, use that editor unless the provider specifically documents direct file access.
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| Route | Ease of use | Raw-field access | Third-party dependency | Restart considerations | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official dedicated-server GUI | Highest; labeled fields and save controls | Indirect, through the MotD section | None beyond the game’s dedicated-server tool | Save, then restart when the running deployment needs a reload | Most administrators, especially first-time setup |
| Edit config or provider file editor | Lower; requires care with XML or panel syntax | Direct access to configuration values | Depends on the host or installation | Usually stop or restart according to the host’s rules | Headless servers, automation, and troubleshooting |
| Torch administration layer | Varies; provides an organized editor and other administration tools | Depends on the installed framework and plugins | Yes; compatibility and release status must be checked | Follow Torch and server-instance reload behavior | Operators who also need live administration or plugins |
| Midspace admin-script extension | Command-driven after installation | Extension-specific MOTD file and commands | Yes; requires that extension | Use the extension’s save and reload behavior | Servers already using that admin-script ecosystem |
The official GUI is the least fragile option because it uses the server’s own labels and save workflow. Manual editing is valuable when the GUI cannot be used, but it gives you more opportunities to damage syntax or edit a file that the active instance does not read. Third-party tools are optional administration layers, not prerequisites for setting a vanilla MOTD.
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Torch
Torch is a third-party framework with a WPF user interface, chat interaction without joining the game, an organized configuration editor, and plugin support. It can be useful if MOTD editing is only one part of a broader administration workflow.
Check the framework’s current release status and compatibility with your Space Engineers version before deploying it. A third-party layer can change how settings are loaded, saved, or restarted, so do not assume that a Torch-controlled instance behaves exactly like a vanilla service.
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Midspace admin-script extension
A separate midspace admin-script extension documents its own MOTD file and commands including /cfg motd, /cfg motdhl, and /cfg save. Those commands belong to the extension; they are not required vanilla dedicated-server commands.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIf that extension is not already installed and maintained on your server, the official configuration utility is simpler. If it is installed, follow the extension’s documentation and use its save command after changing the message. Mixing an extension’s file with the vanilla GUI without understanding which one is authoritative can cause one tool to overwrite the other’s value.
Self-hosted server versus managed hosting
| Responsibility | Self-hosting | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Operating-system administration | You maintain the operating system, dedicated-server installation, permissions, and backups. | The provider maintains the underlying machine; you use its panel and account controls. |
| Updates and restarts | You schedule updates, stop processes, and restart services. | The provider may offer update and restart controls, but panel-specific rules apply. |
| Ports and firewall | You configure network ports, firewall rules, and any routing required for players to connect. | The provider normally supplies the network configuration, subject to its plan and panel. |
| Configuration access | You can normally use the official utility or direct file editing. | You may have a custom editor, file manager, or restricted access to raw XML. |
| Recurring cost | No hosting-provider fee, but you supply hardware, bandwidth, power, and administration. | A recurring hosting charge covers the provider’s infrastructure and service. |
For either model, the MOTD itself is configured per server instance. The practical difference is who controls the save and restart path. On a self-hosted machine, you usually control the dedicated-server utility directly. On managed hosting, use the panel’s configuration field if it provides one and restart through the panel so that it does not overwrite a direct edit.
Writing an MOTD players will actually read
Put immediate expectations first
Start with the server name or a short welcome, then state the one or two rules that prevent the most common disputes. A connection message is more effective when its first lines are useful without requiring players to open another page.
Use the URL for detail
Move a complete rulebook, mod list, map guide, or support instructions to the optional URL. The browser popup is better suited to material that changes regularly or is too long for a connection notice.
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Keep operational notices current
Remove expired event announcements and maintenance notices. An obsolete MOTD undermines confidence in the rest of the server’s information. If you use variables, insert them through the GUI context menu so the utility can substitute their values when displayed.
Troubleshooting an MOTD that does not appear
The old message is still displayed
- Confirm that you edited the same instance players are joining. Check the selected Local/Console or named service instance.
- Verify that you clicked Save config or Save & start; closing the window without saving does not commit the change.
- Restart the running server if the deployment reads the MOTD only when the process starts.
- Connect again after the restart rather than relying on a player who was already connected before the change.
The URL popup does not open
- Check that the address was entered in Message of the Day URL, not appended to the plain-text message.
- Test that the page is reachable and does not require a private login.
- Confirm that the URL was saved to the active instance and restart if the server has not reloaded its configuration.
A variable displays incorrectly
- Remove the manually typed variable and insert one through the field’s context menu.
- Check the result with a fresh connection after saving and, if required, restarting.
- If the variable is unavailable in the context menu, treat it as unsupported by that installation rather than relying on an unrecognized token.
Manual editing caused a startup problem
- Stop the server and restore the backup configuration.
- Reapply only the MOTD values through the official GUI.
- If a provider panel generated the file, use its editor and restart controls instead of replacing the generated file directly.
The extension and GUI show different messages
Determine which component is authoritative. A midspace extension may read its own MOTD file, while the vanilla server reads MessageOfTheDay. Edit the setting used by the active administration layer, then save through that layer and restart according to its documentation.
Recommended workflow for a reliable change
- Write a short connection message and decide whether a longer rules page belongs in the URL field.
- Run
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exeand select the exact active server instance. - Choose Continue to server configuration, then open MotD – Message of the Day.
- Enter the message, insert any supported variables from the context menu, and add the optional URL.
- Choose Save config or Save & start.
- If the server was already running, restart it when required by that deployment, warning players before disconnecting them.
- Connect with a test account and verify the in-game popup, variable substitution, and browser URL separately.
- Keep a copy of the final text and note which instance and administration route were used, so the same message can be restored after an update or migration.
This workflow keeps the MOTD change inside the supported configuration path while still leaving manual editing and third-party administration available for installations that need them.
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