diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index bae329e..37c6eed 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use std::thread;
 use std::time::SystemTime;
 use log::{info};
 
-use patch::patch::{PatchServerState, generate_patch_tree, load_config};
+use patch::patch::{PatchServerState, generate_patch_tree, load_config, load_motd};
 use login::login::LoginServerState;
 use login::character::CharacterServerState;
 use ship::ship::ShipServerState;
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ fn setup_logger() {
         .chain(std::io::stdout());
     let fileout = fern::Dispatch::new()
         .level(log::LevelFilter::Trace)
-        .chain(fern::log_file(format!("elseware-{}.log", chrono::Local::now().format("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"))).unwrap());
+        .chain(fern::log_file(format!("elseware-{}.log", chrono::Local::now().format("%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S"))).unwrap());
     fern::Dispatch::new()
         .chain(stdio)
         .chain(fileout)
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ fn main() {
     let patch_thread = thread::spawn(|| {
         info!("[patch] starting server");
         let patch_config = load_config();
+        let patch_motd = load_motd();
         let (patch_file_tree, patch_file_lookup) = generate_patch_tree(patch_config.path.as_str());
-        let patch_state = PatchServerState::new(patch_file_tree, patch_file_lookup);
+        let patch_state = PatchServerState::new(patch_file_tree, patch_file_lookup, patch_motd);
         common::mainloop::mainloop(patch_state, patch_config.port);
     });
     let thread_entity_gateway = entity_gateway.clone();
diff --git a/src/patch/patch.rs b/src/patch/patch.rs
index 7faf2d7..2fae5b0 100644
--- a/src/patch/patch.rs
+++ b/src/patch/patch.rs
@@ -140,14 +140,16 @@ pub struct PatchServerState {
     patch_file_tree: PatchFileTree,
     patch_file_lookup: HashMap<u32, PatchFile>,
     patch_file_info: Vec<FileInfoReply>,
+    patch_motd: String,
 }
 
 impl PatchServerState {
-    pub fn new(patch_file_tree: PatchFileTree, patch_file_lookup: HashMap<u32, PatchFile>) -> PatchServerState {
+    pub fn new(patch_file_tree: PatchFileTree, patch_file_lookup: HashMap<u32, PatchFile>, patch_motd: String) -> PatchServerState {
         PatchServerState {
             patch_file_tree: patch_file_tree,
             patch_file_lookup: patch_file_lookup,
             patch_file_info: Vec::new(),
+            patch_motd: patch_motd,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -174,7 +176,7 @@ impl ServerState for PatchServerState {
                 Box::new(vec![SendPatchPacket::RequestLogin(RequestLogin {})].into_iter().map(move |pkt| (id, pkt)))
             },
             RecvPatchPacket::LoginReply(_pkt) => {
-                let mut p = vec![SendPatchPacket::Message(Message::new("hello player".to_string()))];
+                let mut p = vec![SendPatchPacket::Message(Message::new(self.patch_motd.to_string()))];
                 p.append(&mut get_file_list_packets(&self.patch_file_tree));
                 p.push(SendPatchPacket::PatchEndList(PatchEndList {}));
                 Box::new(p.into_iter().map(move |pkt| (id, pkt)))
@@ -395,3 +397,12 @@ pub fn load_config() -> PatchConfig {
     };
     config
 }
+
+pub fn load_motd() -> String {
+    let mut motd: String = "Welcome to Elseware!".to_string();
+
+    if let Ok(m) = fs::read_to_string("patch.motd") {
+        motd = m.clone();
+    }
+    motd
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/patch_main.rs b/src/patch_main.rs
index bf834d6..271e8fa 100644
--- a/src/patch_main.rs
+++ b/src/patch_main.rs
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
 
 mod common;
 mod patch;
-use crate::patch::patch::{PatchServerState, PatchTreeIterItem, generate_patch_tree, load_config};
+use crate::patch::patch::{PatchServerState, PatchTreeIterItem, generate_patch_tree, load_config, load_motd};
 
 fn main() {
     println!("[patch] starting server");
 
     let patch_config = load_config();
+    let patch_motd: String = load_motd();
 
     if let Err(_) = std::fs::read_dir(patch_config.path.as_str()) {
         println!("Patch directory {} does not exist. Attempting to create it...", patch_config.path.as_str());
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ fn main() {
         }
     }
 
-    let patch_state = PatchServerState::new(patch_file_tree, patch_file_lookup);
+    let patch_state = PatchServerState::new(patch_file_tree, patch_file_lookup, patch_motd);
     common::mainloop::mainloop(patch_state, patch_config.port);
     
     println!("[patch] exiting...");