> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/minekube/gate/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Status Ping Configuration

> Customize server list appearance with MOTD, favicon, player count, and ping response settings

# Status Ping Configuration

The `status` section controls how your Gate proxy appears in the Minecraft server list when players ping it. Configure the MOTD (Message of the Day), favicon, max players display, and more.

## Overview

When players add your server to their multiplayer list, Minecraft sends a status ping request. Gate responds with information like:

* Server name/description (MOTD)
* Player count (online/max)
* Server version
* Server icon (favicon)
* Sample player names

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/minekube-gate-16/images/server-list-example.png" alt="Minecraft server list showing MOTD and favicon" />
</Frame>

## Configuration

<ParamField path="config.status" type="object">
  Configure the server list ping response

  ```yaml theme={null}
  status:
    motd: |
      §bWelcome to My Server
      §fPowered by Gate
    showMaxPlayers: 1000
    favicon: server-icon.png
    logPingRequests: false
  ```
</ParamField>

## MOTD (Message of the Day)

<ParamField path="config.status.motd" type="string" required>
  The server description shown in the multiplayer server list. Supports both legacy color codes and modern JSON text components.

  ```yaml theme={null}
  status:
    motd: |
      §bA Gate Proxy
      §bVisit ➞ §fgithub.com/minekube/gate
  ```
</ParamField>

### Legacy Color Codes

Use `§` (section sign) followed by a color/format code:

<CodeGroup>
  ```yaml Simple theme={null}
  status:
    motd: |
      §b§lMY MINECRAFT SERVER
      §fJoin us for epic adventures!
  ```

  ```yaml Colorful theme={null}
  status:
    motd: |
      §6§lWelcome to §c§lFIRE§6§lNET
      §e⭐ §fSurvival §7| §fCreative §7| §fMinigames §e⭐
  ```

  ```yaml With Symbols theme={null}
  status:
    motd: |
      §3◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
      §b»  §f§lSKYBLOCK SERVER  §b«
  ```
</CodeGroup>

#### Color Codes

| Code | Color       | Code | Color        |
| ---- | ----------- | ---- | ------------ |
| `§0` | Black       | `§8` | Dark Gray    |
| `§1` | Dark Blue   | `§9` | Blue         |
| `§2` | Dark Green  | `§a` | Green        |
| `§3` | Dark Aqua   | `§b` | Aqua         |
| `§4` | Dark Red    | `§c` | Red          |
| `§5` | Dark Purple | `§d` | Light Purple |
| `§6` | Gold        | `§e` | Yellow       |
| `§7` | Gray        | `§f` | White        |

#### Format Codes

| Code | Format        | Code | Format    |
| ---- | ------------- | ---- | --------- |
| `§l` | Bold          | `§o` | Italic    |
| `§m` | Strikethrough | `§n` | Underline |
| `§k` | Obfuscated    | `§r` | Reset     |

### JSON Text Components

For advanced formatting, use JSON text components:

<CodeGroup>
  ```yaml Basic JSON theme={null}
  status:
    motd: |
      {"text":"Welcome to My Server","color":"aqua","bold":true}
  ```

  ```yaml Multi-line JSON theme={null}
  status:
    motd: |
      {"text":""}
  ```

  ```yaml Complex JSON theme={null}
  status:
    motd: '{
      "text":"MY NETWORK",
      "color":"gold",
      "bold":true,
      "extra":[
        {"text":"\n"},
        {"text":"⚡ ","color":"yellow"},
        {"text":"Online ","color":"white"},
        {"text":"1.8-1.20","color":"gray"},
        {"text":" ⚡","color":"yellow"}
      ]
    }'
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Tip>
  JSON text components give you more control over formatting but are more verbose. Legacy codes are simpler and sufficient for most use cases.
</Tip>

## Favicon (Server Icon)

<ParamField path="config.status.favicon" type="string">
  The server icon shown in the multiplayer list. Accepts file paths or base64 data URIs. Optimal size is 64x64 pixels.

  ```yaml theme={null}
  # File path (relative or absolute)
  favicon: server-icon.png
  favicon: /path/to/icon.png

  # Base64 data URI
  favicon: data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KG...
  ```
</ParamField>

### Favicon Formats

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="File Path">
    ```yaml theme={null}
    status:
      favicon: server-icon.png  # Relative to config file
      favicon: /var/gate/icon.png  # Absolute path
    ```

    * Supports PNG images
    * Recommended size: 64x64 pixels
    * Gate reads file on startup/reload
    * File must be accessible to Gate process
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Data URI">
    ```yaml theme={null}
    status:
      favicon: data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAEAAAABA...
    ```

    * Embed image directly in config
    * No external file needed
    * Can be generated from existing image
    * Useful for containerized deployments
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Creating a Favicon

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create or find a 64x64 PNG image">
    Use any image editor (Photoshop, GIMP, Pixlr, etc.) to create a 64x64 pixel PNG image
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save as PNG">
    Save as `server-icon.png` in the same directory as your `config.yml`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure in Gate">
    ```yaml theme={null}
    status:
      favicon: server-icon.png
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reload configuration">
    Restart Gate or use `/greload` to apply changes
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Accordion title="Convert image to data URI">
  To embed the image in your config file:

  ```bash theme={null}
  # Linux/macOS
  echo "data:image/png;base64,$(base64 -w 0 server-icon.png)"

  # Or use online converter
  # Visit: https://www.base64-image.de/
  ```

  Then paste the output into your config:

  ```yaml theme={null}
  status:
    favicon: data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KG...
  ```
</Accordion>

## Max Players Display

<ParamField path="config.status.showMaxPlayers" type="integer" default="1000">
  The maximum player count shown in the server list. This is **cosmetic only** and doesn't limit actual connections.

  ```yaml theme={null}
  status:
    showMaxPlayers: 1000
  ```
</ParamField>

<Warning>
  This setting only affects what's displayed in the server list. It does **not** limit how many players can connect. Gate has no hard player limit.
</Warning>

### Display Examples

```yaml theme={null}
# Show as small server
showMaxPlayers: 50
# Server list shows: "5/50" players

# Show as large network
showMaxPlayers: 10000  
# Server list shows: "1247/10000" players

# Show exact count (common for small servers)
showMaxPlayers: 20
# Server list shows: "3/20" players
```

## Forge Server Indicator

<ParamField path="config.announceForge" type="boolean" default="false">
  Whether to present the proxy as Forge/FML-compatible in status responses. Enable if your backend servers use Forge.

  ```yaml theme={null}
  announceForge: false
  ```
</ParamField>

<Info>
  When enabled, Gate adds Forge/FML data to status responses, telling clients this is a modded server. Backend servers must actually run Forge for this to work properly.
</Info>

## Ping Request Logging

<ParamField path="config.status.logPingRequests" type="boolean" default="false">
  Whether to log server list ping requests in the console. Useful for debugging but can be noisy.

  ```yaml theme={null}
  status:
    logPingRequests: false
  ```
</ParamField>

### Example Log Output

When enabled:

```log theme={null}
[INFO] Ping request from /203.0.113.45:52841
[INFO] Ping request from /198.51.100.22:61234
[INFO] Ping request from /192.0.2.10:49152
```

<Tip>
  Enable during initial setup to verify your server is reachable. Disable in production to reduce log noise.
</Tip>

## Complete Examples

### Basic Configuration

```yaml config.yml theme={null}
config:
  bind: 0.0.0.0:25565
  
  servers:
    lobby: localhost:25566
    survival: localhost:25567
  
  try:
    - lobby
  
  status:
    motd: |
      §b§lMY MINECRAFT SERVER
      §fSurvival §7| §fCreative §7| §fMinigames
    showMaxPlayers: 100
    favicon: server-icon.png
    logPingRequests: false
```

### Advanced Configuration

```yaml config.yml theme={null}
config:
  bind: 0.0.0.0:25565
  
  status:
    # Multi-line MOTD with colors
    motd: |
      §6§l▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
      §b§l    SKYBLOCK NETWORK    
      §e⚡ §fVersion 1.8-1.20 §e⚡
      §6§l▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
    
    # Large network appearance
    showMaxPlayers: 5000
    
    # Use embedded favicon
    favicon: data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUg...
    
    # Enable logging for debugging
    logPingRequests: true
  
  # Forge server support
  announceForge: false
```

### Network with Different Status per Host

<Info>
  In classic mode, status is global. For per-hostname status customization, use [Gate Lite mode](/guide/lite) which supports different MOTD/favicon per route.
</Info>

Lite mode example:

```yaml config.yml theme={null}
config:
  lite:
    enabled: true
    routes:
      - host: lobby.example.com
        backend: lobby-server:25565
        fallback:
          motd: |
            §b§lLOBBY SERVER
            §fHub and game selection
          favicon: lobby-icon.png
      
      - host: creative.example.com
        backend: creative-server:25565
        fallback:
          motd: |
            §a§lCREATIVE SERVER
            §fBuild amazing creations
          favicon: creative-icon.png
```

## Dynamic Status

Gate's status response dynamically includes:

### Player Count

Automatically aggregates players across all connected backend servers:

```
Online: 47/1000
```

* Online count = total players on all backends
* Max count = `showMaxPlayers` setting

### Player Samples

Hover over player count to see sample player names (up to 12 shown):

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/minekube-gate-16/images/player-sample.png" alt="Player sample tooltip" />
</Frame>

### Version Display

Shows protocol version range:

```
1.8.x - 1.20.x
```

Gate automatically supports a wide range of Minecraft versions.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Favicon not showing">
    **Common Issues**:

    1. **Wrong file format** - Must be PNG, not JPG or other formats
    2. **Wrong size** - Should be exactly 64x64 pixels
    3. **File not found** - Check path relative to config.yml location
    4. **Permissions** - Gate must be able to read the file
    5. **Not reloaded** - Restart Gate or use `/greload`

    **Verify**:

    ```bash theme={null}
    # Check file exists and is readable
    ls -lh server-icon.png

    # Verify it's PNG and 64x64
    file server-icon.png
    identify server-icon.png  # requires ImageMagick
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="MOTD colors not working">
    **Symptoms**: Color codes show as literal text like `§b§lServer Name`

    **Causes**:

    * Copied text from source that doesn't preserve section signs
    * Using wrong character (regular `S` instead of `§`)
    * Client-side issue (some resource packs break colors)

    **Solution**: Ensure you're using actual section sign (`§`):

    ```yaml theme={null}
    motd: |
      §bColored text  # Correct: § (Alt+0167 or Alt+21)
      SbNot colored   # Wrong: S
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Line breaks not working in MOTD">
    **Issue**: MOTD appears on single line

    **Solution**: Use `|` (pipe) for multi-line strings in YAML:

    ```yaml theme={null}
    # ✅ Correct - preserves line breaks
    motd: |
      Line 1
      Line 2

    # ❌ Wrong - single line
    motd: "Line 1 Line 2"
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Player count shows 0/1000">
    **Issue**: Shows 0 players even though people are connected

    **Causes**:

    * No players actually on backend servers (they're on Gate but not connected to backends)
    * Backend servers not properly forwarding player info
    * Connection issues between Gate and backends

    **Check**:

    ```bash theme={null}
    # In Gate console
    /glist

    # Check which servers have players
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Status shows 'Can't connect to server'">
    **Issue**: Server appears offline in server list

    **Diagnosis**:

    1. Check Gate is actually running: `netstat -tlnp | grep 25565`
    2. Verify bind address: ensure not bound to `127.0.0.1` only
    3. Check firewall: ensure port 25565 is open
    4. Test locally first: try connecting from same machine

    **Common Causes**:

    * Gate not running
    * Firewall blocking port 25565
    * Bound to wrong interface (`127.0.0.1` instead of `0.0.0.0`)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Keep MOTD concise">
    * Maximum 2 lines (Minecraft limitation)
    * Each line \~50-60 characters max
    * Test how it looks in actual Minecraft client
    * Consider different screen sizes/resolutions
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Choose appropriate max players">
    ```yaml theme={null}
    # Small community server
    showMaxPlayers: 20-50

    # Medium server
    showMaxPlayers: 100-500

    # Large network
    showMaxPlayers: 1000-10000
    ```

    Choose a number that matches your server's scale and looks realistic.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Optimize favicon size">
    * Use exactly 64x64 pixels
    * Keep file size under 10KB
    * Use PNG with transparency if needed
    * Test visibility at small size (server list icons are tiny)
    * Avoid detailed images - simple logos work best
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Test in actual client">
    After configuration changes:

    1. Restart Gate or reload config
    2. Refresh server list in Minecraft (F5)
    3. Check MOTD appears correctly
    4. Verify favicon loads
    5. Test from different clients/versions if possible
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Disable ping logging in production">
    ```yaml theme={null}
    status:
      logPingRequests: false  # Reduce log noise
    ```

    Enable only for debugging - server lists ping frequently.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related Configuration

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Overview" icon="gear" href="/configuration/overview">
    Complete configuration overview and settings
  </Card>

  <Card title="Gate Lite" icon="bolt" href="/guide/lite">
    Per-route status customization in Lite mode
  </Card>

  <Card title="Servers" icon="server" href="/configuration/servers">
    Configure backend servers and routing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Query Protocol" icon="database" href="/configuration/query">
    Enable GameSpy 4 query protocol support
  </Card>
</CardGroup>