Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSet the join message from an administrator-capable server console or authorized in-game chat with:
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/serverconfig motd Hi {playername}! Please remember to follow the rules!
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What the Vintage Story MOTD does
MOTD means “message of the day.” On a Vintage Story server, the motd value is the welcome text shown to players when they join. It is useful for a short rules reminder, a Discord or community address, an event notice, or orientation for new players.
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The official server setup documentation identifies the command as /serverconfig motd and shows this example: /serverconfig motd Hi {playername}! Please remember to follow the rules!. See the Vintage Story Wiki server setup page for the game’s configuration guidance.
You need administrator-level access to use the command. If you do not control the console, in-game permissions, hosting panel, or server files, ask the server owner to make the change.
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Choose the right way to change it
There are three practical routes. The first is normally the quickest and avoids file-editing mistakes.
| Method | Access needed | Server interruption | Best use | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Server console or authorized in-game chat | Administrator permission | None; the server can remain online | Routine edits and quick announcements | Run the command on the intended server instance |
Direct serverconfig.json edit |
File-system access and permission to stop/start the server | Required while editing | Self-hosted administration, scripted deployment, or recovery | Stop first, preserve valid JSON, then restart |
| Hosting control panel | Panel account with configuration access | Usually a stop/start cycle | Managed servers without shell access | Field names, placeholders, and screenshots vary by provider and version |
If you only need to change a sentence, use the command method. Use a file or panel workflow when you are already maintaining the server configuration there, or when a provider does not expose the command.
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Method 1: Change the MOTD from the console or in-game
- Confirm administrator access. Open the dedicated-server console, or join the server with an account that can run administrative commands. A normal player account will not be able to change server configuration.
- Target the correct instance. If you operate several worlds, containers, or test servers, check the console title, working directory, or panel instance before sending the command. A successful command on the wrong instance changes the wrong welcome message.
- Run the command. Replace the sample text after
motdwith your message:/serverconfig motd Your welcome message - Use the documented player placeholder when needed. The official command example uses
{playername}, as in/serverconfig motd Welcome, {playername}! Read the rules before building. - Check the command response. The console or chat should accept the configuration command. If it reports a permission or syntax error, do not assume the value changed; correct the issue and run it again.
- Verify with a join. Disconnect and reconnect with a test account, or ask another player to join. The MOTD is shown at join time, so an already-connected player may not see a newly changed message until reconnecting.
The server can stay online while this command is run. That makes it the lowest-downtime option for a live community.
Messages that work well
Keep the first line short enough to scan while players are loading in. A useful message can combine a greeting with one action:
/serverconfig motd Welcome, {playername}! Please read the rules and ask staff if you need help./serverconfig motd Welcome, {playername}! Community chat and event notices are available in our Discord./serverconfig motd Welcome, {playername}! This month’s focus: explore the northern ruins and share discoveries.
Use the exact command syntax supported by your server version. Do not put an untested multiline or color format into a live announcement; behavior for multiline and color formatting is not established uniformly across releases and hosts. Test any special formatting on the actual server first.
Method 2: Edit serverconfig.json on a self-hosted server
File editing is appropriate when you administer the machine directly or need configuration under version control. The safe sequence is stop, edit, validate, save, and restart. A running server may keep configuration in memory and write that in-memory copy back when it shuts down, which can erase an edit made while the process was still active.
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Find the configuration file
The documented default locations are:
- Windows:
%appdata%/VintageStoryData/serverconfig.json - Linux using the documented package layout:
/var/vintagestory/data/serverconfig.json - Custom installation: the data directory supplied to the server with
--dataPath
The path is tied to the server’s data directory, not necessarily the directory containing the executable. If you start the server with --dataPath, inspect that directory first. If you run a service, container, or startup script, read its launch arguments to identify the active data path.
Edit without losing the setting
- Stop the server cleanly. Use the host’s stop control or the normal server shutdown procedure. Wait until the process has exited before opening the file for editing.
- Make a backup. Copy
serverconfig.jsonto a dated backup before changing it. This gives you a rollback if the JSON becomes invalid or another setting is accidentally altered. - Open the active file. Confirm that its path matches the instance you intend to change, especially when multiple worlds use separate data directories.
- Locate the MOTD setting. Use the configuration schema and comments supplied by your Vintage Story version or host. Names exposed by panels are not guaranteed to match the native file schema, so do not copy a provider field blindly into a self-hosted file.
- Enter the new text as a JSON string. Escape characters required by JSON, including quotation marks and backslashes. Keep the surrounding commas and braces intact.
- Validate the JSON. Use a JSON-aware editor or validator and confirm that the file parses before starting the server. A missing comma or quote can prevent startup or cause the server to ignore the intended value.
- Save, then start the server. After the file is saved and valid, launch the server normally. Watch the startup output for configuration errors.
- Test the join message. Connect with a test account and verify the exact text and any placeholder expansion.
If the file edit disappears after shutdown, the usual causes are editing while the server was running, changing a file in an unused data path, or having a panel regenerate the file. Repeat the stop-first workflow and verify the startup command’s --dataPath.
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Managed hosts expose different controls, so the labels in your panel may not match another provider’s guide. One documented Vintage Story workflow is:
- Stop the server from the panel.
- Open Files, then Config Files.
- Select Vintage Story Server Settings.
- Enter the text in Welcome Message.
- Save the configuration and start the server.
- Join with a test account to confirm the result.
Other panels describe the same setting as WelcomeMessage and may offer direct JSON editing instead. Treat both the field name and the player-name token as provider- and version-specific. If the panel has no MOTD field, inspect its current Vintage Story settings documentation or use the supported file editor if the provider permits it.
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Older control-panel screenshots can be misleading: interfaces are redesigned, and a field may move or be renamed without changing the game’s command. Follow the labels visible in your current panel, and stop the server before direct file edits unless the provider explicitly documents live editing.
Player-name placeholders: {playername} versus {0}
Placeholder syntax is the most common reason a welcome message displays the token literally. The official Vintage Story command example uses {playername}. The cited hosted-panel instructions use {0} for the joining player’s name.
| Where you are setting the message | Documented token | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Official command example | {playername} |
Use it exactly in /serverconfig motd |
| Some hosted control panels | {0} |
Use the token shown by that panel or its current schema |
| Unknown or custom interface | Not established | Check the interface documentation and test with a real join |
Do not assume the two forms are interchangeable. If players see {playername} or {0} instead of their names, replace it with the syntax documented for that exact command, panel, or configuration schema.
Validation and troubleshooting
The message does not change
- Confirm the command was run by an administrator, not merely sent as ordinary chat.
- Check that you changed the intended server instance and data directory.
- Reconnect; the MOTD is a join-time message and may not refresh for a player already online.
- If you edited a file, make sure the server was stopped first and restarted after saving.
The file edit vanished
- Stop the server before editing; a live process can overwrite the file with its in-memory configuration during shutdown.
- Verify that the file belongs to the active
--dataPath, not a backup or test installation. - Validate the JSON and check whether a hosting panel regenerates configuration on startup.
The placeholder appears literally
Use {playername} for the official command example or {0} where the hosted panel documents that token. Test with a new join rather than judging from an existing session.
The panel has no welcome-message field
Look for the provider’s current Vintage Story settings page, an advanced configuration editor, or an allowed file manager. If direct editing is unavailable, the provider may require its support team or a console command. Do not paste a field from another host without checking the current schema.
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Old screenshots do not match
Panel interfaces change. Use the current labels in your account and follow the documented stop, save, and start sequence. A screenshot from an older guide is not proof that a field still exists in the same location.
Formatting behaves unexpectedly
There is no release-wide authoritative specification here for multiline or color behavior. Keep the initial message plain and readable, then test any formatting on the target Vintage Story version and host before announcing it to the whole community.
Operational checklist for a reliable MOTD change
- Identify the correct server instance and administrator account.
- Choose the console, file, or panel method based on your access and downtime tolerance.
- Use a concise message that tells joining players what to do next.
- Use the placeholder syntax documented by the exact interface you are using.
- For file edits, stop first, back up the file, preserve valid JSON, and restart afterward.
- For panel edits, expect labels and behavior to vary by provider and version.
- Join with a test account and verify the rendered name and wording.
- Keep a backup or previous message so you can roll back a problematic change quickly.
Which method should you use?
Use the administrator command when you need an immediate, no-downtime update. Use serverconfig.json when you own the machine and need a repeatable, auditable configuration change, accepting the required restart. Use a hosting panel when it is your only configuration access, but follow that panel’s current field names and placeholder rules rather than copying assumptions from another provider.
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