nwMotd lets you turn a local PNG into an image that appears directly in the Minecraft multiplayer server list. Players do not need to download a resource pack, and the plugin never performs image processing while someone is pinging the server.
It was created for Newworld Server by NN#7999.
showcase
## Features
- Full-width image MOTDs up to 264×16 pixels by default
- No client resource pack required
- Paper and Folia support
- Automatic image file watching
- Persistent tile cache, so unchanged parts of an image are reused
- MineSkin queue support with retries, rate-limit handling and restart recovery
- Safe text fallback for unsupported client versions
- Static, weighted random, round-robin, time-window and virtual-host MOTD selection
- Custom server icon, player sample, maximum player count and version text
- Asynchronous image processing with an atomic switch to the finished image
- Cache verification and useful status/debug commands
It was created for Newworld Server by NN#7999.
> **Compatibility notice:** Image MOTDs are displayed by vanilla Java clients 1.21.9–1.21.11. Minecraft 26.1 and newer no longer render the player objects used by this technique, so those clients receive your normal two-line text fallback instead. This is a client limitation, not something ViaVersion or a server plugin can bypass without a resource pack.
showcase
## Features
- Full-width image MOTDs up to 264×16 pixels by default
- No client resource pack required
- Paper and Folia support
- Automatic image file watching
- Persistent tile cache, so unchanged parts of an image are reused
- MineSkin queue support with retries, rate-limit handling and restart recovery
- Safe text fallback for unsupported client versions
- Static, weighted random, round-robin, time-window and virtual-host MOTD selection
- Custom server icon, player sample, maximum player count and version text
- Asynchronous image processing with an atomic switch to the finished image
- Cache verification and useful status/debug commands
Spoiler: Installation
1. Download `nwMotd-1.0.0.jar` and place it in your server's `plugins` folder.
2. Start the server once. nwMotd will create its default configuration and example image.
3. Create an API key in the [MineSkin account manager]( https://account.mineskin.org/).
4. Add the key using one of the methods below.
5. Restart the server.
6. Watch the console or run `/nwmotd status default` while the first image is generated.
Do not use `/reload` or a plugin hot-reloader when replacing the JAR. nwMotd owns worker threads, scheduled queue polling and a filesystem watcher, so a normal server restart is the safe way to load a new build.
2. Start the server once. nwMotd will create its default configuration and example image.
3. Create an API key in the [MineSkin account manager]( https://account.mineskin.org/).
4. Add the key using one of the methods below.
5. Restart the server.
6. Watch the console or run `/nwmotd status default` while the first image is generated.
Do not use `/reload` or a plugin hot-reloader when replacing the JAR. nwMotd owns worker threads, scheduled queue polling and a filesystem watcher, so a normal server restart is the safe way to load a new build.
Spoiler: MineSkin API key
An environment variable is the safest option:
```text
MINESKIN_API_KEY=your_key_here
```
If you prefer keeping it in the plugin configuration, leave `api-key-env` as it is and place the key in `api-key`:
```yaml
mineskin:
api-key-env: "MINESKIN_API_KEY"
api-key: "your_key_here"
user-agent: "nwMotd/{version} (contact: your-name-or-email)"
```
The environment variable takes priority. The `api-key` field is used as a fallback. Never post your real key in screenshots, support messages or public configuration files.
```text
MINESKIN_API_KEY=your_key_here
```
If you prefer keeping it in the plugin configuration, leave `api-key-env` as it is and place the key in `api-key`:
```yaml
mineskin:
api-key-env: "MINESKIN_API_KEY"
api-key: "your_key_here"
user-agent: "nwMotd/{version} (contact: your-name-or-email)"
```
The environment variable takes priority. The `api-key` field is used as a fallback. Never post your real key in screenshots, support messages or public configuration files.
Quick facts
- Edition: Minecraft Java
- File type: .jar
- Minecraft version listed: 1.21
- How to install: Install the matching mod loader (Forge, Fabric or NeoForge) for your Minecraft version. → Download the .jar. → Put it in the .minecraft/mods folder and launch that loader profile.
- Where to get it: Opens on Spigot — not every file is mirrored on our own servers.
Install steps are the general flow for this file type — How to install Minecraft Java mods & modpacks walks through it step by step.
nwMotd | Image MOTDs without a resource pack 1.21.9-1.21.11 is a free Minecraft Java mod. Compatible with Minecraft 1.21. Downloaded 16 times (via Spigot). Download it and open it directly in the game.