Open SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe, select the server instance, choose Continue to server configuration, and edit Server settings → MotD – Message of the Day. Enter the welcome text, optionally add a Message of the Day URL, then use Save config or Save & start. A running server may need a restart before players see the change.
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What the Space Engineers MOTD does
The Message of the Day (MOTD) is the connection-time message shown to players when they join a dedicated Space Engineers server. It is configured for each server instance, rather than globally for every instance on a machine. Use it for a short welcome, server rules, communication details, restart notices, or instructions that every new player should see.
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Space Engineers’ official ModAPI describes the underlying IMyConfigDedicated.MessageOfTheDay setting as “Shows Gui Popup for players.” The corresponding MessageOfTheDayUrl setting is described as “Shows Gui Popup for players but in web browser.” These names are useful when a hosting panel exposes raw configuration fields or when an administrator is writing tooling around the server configuration.
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Set the MOTD in the official dedicated-server tool
This is the normal route for a vanilla dedicated server running through Keen Software House’s dedicated-server utility. The labels below are the labels used by the official interface.
- Launch the dedicated-server executable. Run
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exeon the machine that manages the server. The utility may show a local or console instance for a foreground server, or a named service instance if the server is installed as a service. - Select the correct instance. Choose the instance whose welcome message you want to change. MOTD values are stored per instance, so changing one instance does not change another server on the same host.
- Open configuration. Click Continue to server configuration. If the utility presents several administration choices, do not start editing a different instance by mistake.
- Find the MOTD section. In Server settings, open MotD – Message of the Day. The capitalization and the “MotD” label make this section easy to distinguish from general world or networking settings.
- Enter the player-facing text. Type the welcome message in Message of the Day. Keep the most important information near the beginning because players may not read a long popup. Typical content includes the server name, conduct rules, building restrictions, support instructions, and the community’s preferred time zone.
- Add a browser destination if required. Enter a page in Message of the Day URL when players should be able to open longer documentation or a live information page. Leave this field empty if an in-game message is all you need.
- Insert supported variables when useful. The GUI supports variables in the text. Use the field’s context menu to insert an available variable instead of typing a token from memory. The server replaces an inserted variable with its value when the message is displayed.
- Write the configuration. Click Save config to save the instance settings without launching it. Use Save & start when you want to write the settings and immediately start that instance.
- Reload a running instance when necessary. If the server was already running, use its Restart action after saving when your installation requires a reload for configuration changes. Whether a restart is required depends on how the server is being run and how its control layer applies configuration; verify by reconnecting with a test account.
What players should see
The official dedicated-server guide states that the message “will show up to every player, when connected to the server.” The MOTD is therefore a connection notice, not a permanent chat announcement. A player who is already online may not see a newly saved message until the relevant reload behavior has taken effect and the player connects again.
Writing a useful Space Engineers welcome message
A good MOTD is short enough to scan but specific enough to prevent the questions administrators answer repeatedly. Put information in the order a first-time player needs it.
- Identity: state the server or community name so players know they joined the intended world.
- Immediate rules: list the highest-impact restrictions, such as griefing, raiding, friendly fire, faction conduct, or prohibited exploits. Avoid hiding a critical rule in a long paragraph.
- Gameplay context: identify the scenario, major mods, PvE or PvP expectations, and any special progression or wipe policy that affects a player’s first session.
- Getting help: provide the approved support channel or tell players where the full rules are hosted. Put the detailed policy in the URL field when the text would become unwieldy.
- Operations: mention a regular restart window or maintenance channel only if the schedule is stable. A stale schedule is worse than no schedule.
Use plain text that remains readable in the game’s popup. Test line breaks and punctuation with an ordinary player account; administrator privileges can change what you see compared with a new connection.
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Using variables in the MOTD
Variables are optional placeholders supported by the dedicated-server GUI. Rather than guessing variable syntax, right-click in the message field (or use the field’s context menu) and choose an available variable. The utility inserts the supported form and substitutes its value when the popup is displayed.
This approach matters because variable names and availability are controlled by the application. A token copied from an unrelated plugin may remain literal text, while a token inserted by the GUI is the form the server knows how to replace. After inserting one, save the configuration and connect with a test player to confirm the resolved value appears as intended.
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The safe sequence is to save the configuration, then apply a restart or reload appropriate to your deployment. Do not assume that clicking Save config immediately changes a popup already prepared by a running process.
- Stopped server: save the configuration, then start it with Save & start or the normal start control.
- Running server in the official utility: save first, then use Restart if the instance does not reload settings automatically.
- Managed host or control panel: use the panel’s save action and its documented restart control. Some panels write the file only while the server is stopped, so follow that panel’s order rather than simultaneously editing the same setting in two places.
- Service installation: make sure you selected the named service instance that actually launches the world. Editing a local or console instance will not alter a separate service instance.
Reconnect after the restart or reload to test the result. Testing from outside the server host is preferable because it confirms that the public instance, not a local test process, is using the edited configuration.
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Manual configuration with Edit config
The dedicated-server utility provides an Edit config route for administrators who need to edit the underlying configuration rather than use the form. This is useful when a host exposes only a raw file, when a configuration must be generated by an administration workflow, or when a panel mirrors the same fields under different labels.
The exact file location and surrounding XML depend on the installation and hosting provider, so do not copy a path from another machine without checking which instance the service starts. Before changing a raw file:
- Record which instance and world the service uses.
- Stop the server first when the host or service requires it.
- Make a backup of the configuration file.
- Change only the MOTD-related values, preserving valid XML syntax and the existing encoding.
- Save the file, start the instance, and connect as a player to verify the popup.
The relevant logical fields are MessageOfTheDay for the in-game popup and MessageOfTheDayUrl for the browser popup. A raw editor may display those names exactly, while a provider’s panel may translate them into friendlier labels. If an XML editor reports a malformed document, restore the backup instead of attempting to repair an unknown section while the server is live.
Vanilla GUI, raw configuration, and third-party administration
Choose the route that matches your access and operational needs. The official GUI is the least ambiguous option; raw editing provides direct access to fields; third-party layers can add live administration but introduce another compatibility dependency.
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| Route | Ease of use | Raw-field access | Restart or reload | Third-party dependency | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official dedicated-server GUI | Highest; labeled fields and save buttons | Indirect, unless you use Edit config | Save, then restart when the running instance requires it | None beyond the game’s dedicated-server tools | Most administrators and first-time setup |
| Manual configuration | Lower; requires identifying the correct instance and valid XML | Direct access to MessageOfTheDay and MessageOfTheDayUrl |
Usually applied on the next start or reload; follow the host’s requirement | None, but depends on the host’s file layout | Automation, raw-file workflows, and panels that expose files |
| Torch or an extension | Varies by release and installation | Depends on the framework or plugin | Depends on how that layer applies settings | Yes; compatibility must be checked | Live administration, organized configuration, or plugin-driven servers |
Torch is an optional third-party framework whose project documentation describes a WPF user interface, chat interaction without joining the game, an organized configuration editor, and plugin support. Those features can be valuable for larger communities, but Torch is not required to set the vanilla MOTD. Check the framework’s current release and compatibility with your Space Engineers build before putting it in charge of a production server.
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A separate midspace administration-script extension documents its own MOTD file and commands such as /cfg motd, /cfg motdhl, and /cfg save. These commands belong to that extension, not to the unmodified dedicated-server GUI. They should be used only when that extension is installed and its documentation matches the server version.
Self-hosted and managed-server differences
The MOTD fields are conceptually the same, but the administrative work differs between a machine you control and a provider’s panel.
| Responsibility | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Operating-system administration | You install, update, run, and secure the dedicated-server software. | The provider supplies the server environment; you work through its panel or support process. |
| Configuration access | You can use the official utility and, where appropriate, Edit config or the raw instance file. | The panel may expose named MOTD fields, an XML editor, or neither. |
| Restart and update responsibility | You schedule restarts and confirm that the intended service instance starts. | The panel usually provides start, stop, and restart controls, but its save and reload rules vary. |
| Ports and firewall | You control the operating-system firewall, router, and server ports. | The provider controls the underlying network; you normally manage only settings exposed in the panel. |
| Recurring cost | No hosting-panel fee, but hardware, bandwidth, power, and administration remain your responsibility. | A recurring hosting charge covers the provider’s infrastructure and management scope. |
If a managed panel does not show a field named “Message of the Day,” look for MessageOfTheDay, MessageOfTheDayUrl, “welcome message,” or an advanced dedicated-server configuration editor. Do not create a second configuration file unless the provider explicitly documents that method; the panel may overwrite unrecognized files during a restart.
Troubleshooting an MOTD that does not appear
The message is visible in the form but not to players
- Confirm that you edited the instance that owns the world players are joining.
- Click Save config and verify that the utility reports a successful save.
- Restart the running instance if the change was made while the server was online.
- Disconnect and reconnect; the MOTD is shown on connection, not continuously in chat.
- Check the raw configuration or provider panel to ensure another tool did not overwrite the value.
The wrong message appears
This usually indicates an instance mismatch or an unsaved competing configuration. Compare the server name, service instance, world, and startup method with the one you selected in the utility. If both a panel and a local editor are used, decide which is authoritative and make the change there.
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The URL does not open
- Check that the URL was entered in Message of the Day URL, not appended to the text field.
- Confirm that the value is a complete, reachable web address and that the page is available to the player’s browser.
- Test after reconnecting, because the URL is part of the connection popup.
- If the panel sanitizes or rejects the field, use its documented advanced editor or ask the host which URL format it accepts.
A variable displays literally
Remove the manually typed token and insert a variable through the field’s context menu. The GUI’s insertion command supplies a supported variable form; arbitrary placeholder syntax is not guaranteed to be substituted. Save, restart if needed, and test with a player connection.
The configuration tool will not save
- Close another editor or panel session that may be locking the same file.
- Check that the account running the tool has permission to write the instance configuration.
- For manual XML editing, restore the backup if the file is malformed, then make one small change at a time.
- On a managed host, stop using local-file assumptions and use the provider’s save mechanism.
A practical MOTD template
The following pattern keeps the first popup useful without turning it into a complete rulebook. Replace the example wording with your server’s actual policy:
Welcome to [server name]
Mode: [PvE/PvP or scenario]
Rules: no griefing, respect factions, no exploits
Full rules and support: see the Message of the Day URL
Scheduled maintenance: [time zone and channel]The bracketed text is an example of content to replace, not a variable syntax guaranteed by the game. For dynamic values, insert a supported variable from the GUI context menu.
Verification checklist
- The intended local, console, or named service instance is selected.
- The text is entered under Server settings → MotD – Message of the Day.
- The browser destination, if any, is entered under Message of the Day URL.
- Variables were inserted from the context menu rather than guessed.
- Save config or Save & start completed successfully.
- A running server was restarted when its deployment requires a reload.
- A fresh connection confirmed both the text and the URL behavior.
- A backup exists before any manual XML or provider-file edit.
Which method should you use?
Use the official GUI unless your host or workflow gives you a specific reason not to. It exposes the two supported MOTD settings with clear labels, provides the variable insertion menu, and avoids guessing the location or syntax of an instance file. Choose Edit config when you need controlled raw-file changes and can safely back up and validate XML. Choose Torch or an extension only when its additional administration features justify the maintenance and compatibility work, and remember that extension commands do not apply to a vanilla server.
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