Custom MOTD
Custom MOTD changes the server list message and the player list tooltip shown on a Forge 1.7.10 server, using text files the server owner edits.
What it does
The server owner writes the message of the day in customotdlist.txt and the player list tooltip template in customplayerlist.txt. Each line of the MOTD file is one entry, and the pipe character starts a new line inside an entry, so a single MOTD can span two lines in the vanilla server list. A line that begins with the comment prefix is ignored, and special characters can be escaped with a backslash.
When more than one MOTD entry is present, the mod picks one at random, so the server list can show different messages. The server info update and hot reload intervals are configurable, and the config is reloaded with the cmotd reload command without restarting the server. On first run the mod generates the two required files, and UniMixins must be installed alongside it as a required dependency, version 1.0.1 for 1.7.10 being the latest file. Custom MOTD is server-side only, so players join without installing anything, and it is open source under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only.
Vanilla compatibility is stated by the author, and the mod targets Forge only. Only the 1.7.10 game version has files. Server owners who want a different setup should check the alternatives below, since most of them are Fabric mods and do not run on Forge 1.7.10.
Key features
Random MOTD entries
Several MOTD entries in customotdlist.txt are chosen at random, varying the message shown in the server list.
Customizable player list tooltip
customplayerlist.txt holds a replacement template for the player list tooltip shown on hover.
Two-line MOTDs
The pipe character starts a second line, giving each vanilla MOTD two lines of text.
Reload command
The cmotd reload command applies changes to the text files without a server restart.
Adjustable update intervals
The intervals for server info updates and hot reload are set in the config.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
Use cases
Who it’s for: Server owners running Forge 1.7.10 who want a custom server list message or player list tooltip. Players need nothing installed.
How it compares
MC Server Description, Fabric Tab List, only random motd and Status Changer are all Fabric mods, so they do not run on the Forge 1.7.10 setup this mod targets. CustomServerMessages is the closest Forge option: it is server-side only and open source under the MIT License, but its files cover 1.12.2 – 1.19.4, not 1.7.10.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom MOTD | Forge | 1.7.10 | Server-side only | 2025-04-22 |
| MC Server Description | Fabric | 1.17 – 26.3 | Server-side only | 2026-03-24 |
| Fabric Tab List | Fabric | 1.16.5 – 1.21 | Server-side only | 2024-07-30 |
| only random motd | Fabric | 1.21.10 – 1.21.11 | Server-side only | 2026-06-04 |
| Status Changer | Fabric | 1.19 | Server-side only | 2022-06-28 |
| CustomServerMessages | Forge | 1.12.2 – 1.19.4 | Server-side only | 2023-10-02 |
Questions
Does Custom MOTD require another mod?
Do players need to install Custom MOTD?
How are changes applied after editing the text files?
In the catalog
Custom MOTD is one of 36,990 Utility mods on ModsFinder, and one of 14,575 Utility mods for Forge. 1,013 mods support Minecraft 1.7.10.
More from Angelic Industries
Similar mods
What the author says
A 1.7.10 Forge server-side mod to customize your server MOTD and player list! On first run, the mod will generate the two required files for MOTD customization in /CustomMOTD.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/custom-motd-1.7
- Owner
- Angelic Industries
- Published
- 2025-04-18
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-04-22
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15