MOTD plugins: animation and personalization
Dynamic server description: addressing players by nickname, announcements, different versions for different clients, and what not to show.
Updated August 13, 2026
Basic MOTD — Name and description. A plugin (ServerListPlus and similar) gives more.
Personalization
personalized:
default: |-
&aMy server
&7Welcome back, %player%!
unknown: |-
&aMy server
&7Join us: we have a new season
A player who has joined before sees their own name — a small thing that noticeably boosts retention.
Announcements
announcements:
- '&eEvent on Saturday at 20:00'
- '&aNew resource world is open'
The lines alternate on each ping. No more than two or three: the server list shows two lines.
Different versions
The plugin can show a different message to clients of different versions: for example, hint at which version is needed. This is better than spoofing the version string — spoofing confuses players and launchers.
Maintenance
During maintenance, use a separate MOTD “Maintenance, we'll be back at 21:00”. This eliminates the stream of questions — Maintenance mode.
What not to do
Don't fake the online count: monitoring sites treat this as cheating, and players join and leave — Dynamic MOTD.
