How to Set Up Server Messages on a DayZ Server: MOTD, Broadcasts, and Restart Warnings

DayZ has two separate server-message systems. Put a rotating welcome or rules message in the configuration file loaded by -config=. Put connection notices, repeating broadcasts, and restart countdowns in the active mission’s db/messages.xml. Keeping those locations separate is the key to getting messages to appear and to avoiding edits to a file the server never reads.

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This guide shows where each file belongs, the exact syntax for both systems, how to build a restart warning, how to validate the files before launch, and what to check when players do not see a message.

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Choose the right DayZ message system

Start by deciding what should trigger the message. A MOTD is tied to the server configuration and is suited to a short welcome or rules rotation. The mission message file is event- and schedule-oriented: it can send a message when a player connects, repeat a broadcast, or run a countdown that ends with a server shutdown.

These systems can be used together. For example, keep permanent rules in the MOTD and use messages.xml for a five-minute restart warning. Do not put XML message elements into serverDZ.cfg, or put motd[] into the mission database folder; each parser expects its own format.

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Before editing: identify the live instance and make a backup

Make changes while the server is stopped. Copy the active configuration file and the entire mission db directory to a separate backup location. A backup lets you restore a known-good file if a typo prevents the server from loading later parameters or causes XML parsing to fail.

• Record the startup command or service definition used to launch the server.
• Note the exact mission folder in use; a Chernarus example is mpmissions/dayzOffline.chernarusplus, but another map or a custom mission uses a different directory.
• Use a text editor that preserves plain text and does not add rich-text formatting.
• Keep a copy of the original file before changing one line at a time.

Find the configuration file loaded by DayZ

The filename is not necessarily serverDZ.cfg. DayZ reads the file named by the executable’s -config= startup argument. If the command contains -config=serverDZ.cfg, edit that file in the location resolved by the launch script or service. If it contains another filename, that other file is the one that controls the MOTD.

1. Open the script, shortcut, control-panel startup field, or service definition that launches the server.
2. Find the complete -config=... argument and copy the filename exactly, including its path if one is supplied.
3. Open that file and search for existing motd and motdInterval entries.
4. If there are duplicate assignments, keep one authoritative entry and remove or comment out the duplicate according to the conventions already used in the file.
5. Save the file, then restart the server; configuration changes are read at launch rather than applied to an already-running process.

Set up a rotating MOTD

The MOTD is an array of text lines. DayZ displays those lines in in-game chat, and motdInterval controls the interval between lines. The documented array form is:

motd[] = { "Welcome to the server", "Read the rules before playing." };

Each line is a quoted string, lines are separated by commas, the array is enclosed in braces, and the complete assignment ends with a semicolon. Keep the message text inside ordinary double quotes; unescaped quotation marks inside a line would terminate the string.

Set the interval deliberately

Set motdInterval to the interval you want between successive MOTD lines, using the value format accepted by your DayZ server version. The interval applies to the rotation, not to the length of an individual line. If you want one message only, use a one-item array rather than leaving the setting out entirely.

motd[] = { "Welcome to North Coast Survival." };
motdInterval = 120;

When several lines are used, write them in the order players should see them. Put the most important rule first because a player may connect after the rotation has started. Short lines are easier to read in chat and leave room for the server’s own formatting.

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Example MOTD with rules

motd[] = {
    "Welcome to the server.",
    "No combat logging. Report issues to an administrator.",
    "Check the community rules before trading or raiding."
};
motdInterval = 180;

The line breaks and indentation are for readability; DayZ uses the same array regardless of whether it is written on one line or several. Do not add a trailing comma after the final string unless the syntax accepted by your installed version explicitly permits it.

Create or edit the mission message file

Scheduled and event-driven messages live in the active mission directory at db/messages.xml. For the standard offline Chernarus mission, the documented path is mpmissions/dayzOffline.chernarusplus/db/messages.xml. Replace the mission folder with the one your server actually launches. Bohemia Interactive’s documentation notes that the file may need to be created; it also states that messages can be added, updated, or deleted there.

1. Open the mission folder identified in the server’s launch configuration.
2. Open its db directory.
3. If messages.xml does not exist, create a plain-text file with that exact name and lowercase extension.
4. Start with a single valid <messages> root and one <message> child.
5. Save the file as UTF-8 plain text, then restart the server to load it.

A minimal recurring message file looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<messages>
  <message>
    <delay>0</delay>
    <repeat>15</repeat>
    <onConnect>0</onConnect>
    <deadline>0</deadline>
    <shutdown>0</shutdown>
    <text>Welcome to #name. Follow the server rules.</text>
  </message>
</messages>

Every opening XML element needs a matching closing element. Keep one root element, <messages>, around all message entries. Add additional <message> blocks inside that root when you need different notices.

Understand every message element

Use one behavior per entry unless you have a specific reason to combine settings. A connection notice should normally have onConnect enabled and no repeat or shutdown. A recurring reminder should use a positive repeat and leave connection and shutdown disabled. A restart warning should use a positive deadline, enable shutdown, and include the countdown placeholder described below.

Message pattern: connection notice

To notify each joining player, set <onConnect>1</onConnect>. Keep the other scheduling controls inactive for a pure connection message.

<message>
  <delay>0</delay>
  <repeat>0</repeat>
  <onConnect>1</onConnect>
  <deadline>0</deadline>
  <shutdown>0</shutdown>
  <text>Welcome to #name on port #port. Read the rules before playing.</text>
</message>

This pattern is useful for a short rules reminder or a notice that the server is public. Keep the text under the documented 160-character maximum, including the characters that will be replaced by placeholders.

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Message pattern: recurring broadcast

Set <repeat> to a positive value to broadcast a message repeatedly. The example below follows the official structure:

<message>
  <delay>0</delay>
  <repeat>15</repeat>
  <onConnect>0</onConnect>
  <deadline>0</deadline>
  <shutdown>0</shutdown>
  <text>Welcome to #name. Follow the server rules.</text>
</message>

Use separate entries for unrelated reminders instead of making one very long paragraph. For example, one entry can explain safe-zone rules and another can tell players where to report a problem. A positive repeat value controls each entry independently, so verify that multiple entries will not all fire at the same moment unless that is intentional.

Build a restart countdown

The documented shutdown pattern combines a positive <deadline>, <shutdown>1</shutdown>, and the #tmin placeholder in the text. When the countdown runs, #tmin is replaced with the remaining countdown minutes. A representative entry is:

<message>
  <delay>0</delay>
  <repeat>0</repeat>
  <onConnect>0</onConnect>
  <deadline>30</deadline>
  <shutdown>1</shutdown>
  <text>Hello, #name will shutdown in #tmin minutes.</text>
</message>

The positive deadline starts the countdown according to DayZ’s message scheduler, and the shutdown flag makes the server terminate when that deadline is reached. Do not use #tmin in an ordinary welcome or repeating message: the placeholder is documented for countdowns only.

Separate a warning from a countdown

If you want regular reminders before a planned restart and a final countdown, use two message entries: one with a positive <repeat> for general reminders and one with the positive deadline and shutdown flag for the actual countdown. This makes it clear which message is informational and which one will end the process.

Use the supported placeholders correctly

DayZ documents three placeholders for message text:

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• #name expands to the server name.
• #port expands to the server port.
• #tmin expands to the remaining countdown minutes and works only with a countdown.

Placeholders are case-sensitive as documented. Write them directly in the text element, without quotation marks or braces. Remember that replacement text still counts toward the 160-character message limit in the final message players receive, so keep templates concise.

<text>Welcome to #name on port #port.</text>

For a countdown, include a clear action and the remaining time:

<text>#name will shut down in #tmin minutes. Log out safely.</text>

Validate syntax before launching

DayZ configuration syntax is unforgiving. Assignments in the configuration file end with semicolons, strings use double quotes, and arrays use braces. A missing semicolon can cause later parameters to be ignored, according to the community configuration reference. Check the entire file around the line you changed rather than assuming the error is at the bottom.

Configuration checklist

• Every motd[] assignment ends with ;.
• Every string is enclosed in straight double quotes.
• Array values are enclosed in { } and separated by commas.
• You have not pasted XML tags into the configuration file.
• There is only one active value for each setting you intend to control.

XML checklist

• The file begins with one <messages> root and ends with </messages>.
• Each <message> has matching opening and closing tags.
• Numeric elements contain numeric values in the format expected by DayZ.
• Text does not exceed the documented 160-character maximum.
• Special characters that would be interpreted as XML markup are handled safely; do not place an unescaped < character inside message text.

Launch with the intended profile and logs

A representative Windows launch command is:

DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheck

Adjust the executable path, port, profile directory, and flags for your installation. The important point for message configuration is that -config=serverDZ.cfg identifies the file containing motd[] and motdInterval. The profile and logging flags make it easier to inspect startup behavior when a change does not appear to work.

After editing either file, stop the old process and launch a fresh process with the same mission and configuration arguments. If your hosting panel generates the command for you, verify that the panel’s selected configuration and mission match the files you edited; a perfectly valid file has no effect when the server starts with a different path.

Test messages in a controlled order

1. Start with one short MOTD line and one simple recurring XML message. This isolates syntax errors.
2. Connect with a test account and confirm the MOTD appears in in-game chat.
3. Wait for the configured interval and verify that the next MOTD line or repeat message appears.
4. Test an onConnect entry by disconnecting and reconnecting.
5. Only after those tests pass, add placeholders and a countdown entry.
6. For a shutdown test, use a short, planned deadline and warn anyone connected before enabling <shutdown>1</shutdown> on a live server.

Change one variable at a time. If a message disappears after adding a second entry, temporarily remove the new entry and restart; this identifies whether the problem is the new XML block or the file path.

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Troubleshoot messages that do not appear

Nothing appears, including the MOTD

• Confirm the server was restarted after the edit.
• Check the launch command’s -config= path and edit that exact file.
• Confirm the array uses motd[], quoted strings, braces, commas, and a terminating semicolon.
• Make sure you are looking in in-game chat, where the MOTD is displayed.

The MOTD works but scheduled messages do not

• Verify that messages.xml is under the active mission’s db directory, not beside serverDZ.cfg.
• Check the mission name in the startup configuration; custom maps use a different mission folder.
• Confirm that the file has one <messages> root and valid closing tags.
• Test a single entry with <repeat> set to a positive value before adding more complex behavior.

A connection message never fires

Inspect the entry’s <onConnect> value. It must be 1 for a connection-triggered message. A positive repeat value by itself does not make an entry fire on connection.

A countdown shows no remaining minutes

Use #tmin only in an entry with a positive <deadline>. It is countdown-only; it will not expand as a timer in a plain MOTD or ordinary recurring broadcast.

Later configuration settings stop working

Inspect the line immediately before the first setting that fails. A missing semicolon, an unmatched quote, or malformed array can cause subsequent parameters to be ignored. Restore the backup, reapply the change in a smaller edit, and restart while logging is enabled.

The server shuts down unexpectedly

Search every message entry for a positive <deadline> combined with <shutdown>1</shutdown>. That combination is intentional shutdown behavior. Set the deadline and shutdown values to 0 for entries that should never terminate the server.

Practical complete example

The following configuration and XML illustrate a small server that uses both systems without mixing their syntax.

Configuration file

motd[] = {
    "Welcome to the server.",
    "Read the rules before playing.",
    "Report technical issues to an administrator."
};
motdInterval = 180;

Mission db/messages.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<messages>
  <message>
    <delay>0</delay>
    <repeat>15</repeat>
    <onConnect>0</onConnect>
    <deadline>0</deadline>
    <shutdown>0</shutdown>
    <text>Welcome to #name. Follow the server rules.</text>
  </message>
  <message>
    <delay>0</delay>
    <repeat>0</repeat>
    <onConnect>1</onConnect>
    <deadline>0</deadline>
    <shutdown>0</shutdown>
    <text>You are playing on port #port. Read the rules before playing.</text>
  </message>
  <message>
    <delay>0</delay>
    <repeat>0</repeat>
    <onConnect>0</onConnect>
    <deadline>30</deadline>
    <shutdown>1</shutdown>
    <text>#name will shut down in #tmin minutes. Log out safely.</text>
  </message>
</messages>

Use the countdown block only when a shutdown is actually planned. For routine operation, leave that entry out or keep its deadline and shutdown values disabled, then add it for the maintenance window and restart the server so the updated mission file is loaded.

Maintain messages without confusing players

• Keep permanent rules in the MOTD and time-sensitive notices in messages.xml.
• Keep each message focused on one action: read rules, report an issue, or prepare for a restart.
• Review all text after changing the server name or port so placeholders still produce a sensible sentence.
• Stay below 160 characters for every XML message, including concise wording for countdowns.
• Remove obsolete entries instead of leaving inactive-looking reminders in the file.
• Back up both files before changing the mission, map, or launch profile.

Once the active paths, syntax, and trigger values are correct, DayZ’s message system is straightforward: motd[] and motdInterval handle the configuration-based MOTD, while the mission’s db/messages.xml handles connection events, recurring broadcasts, countdowns, and shutdown behavior.

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DayZDayZ servermessages.xmlMOTDrestart warningsserver administration