---
title: "Packet 73: ShowTextMessage"
description: "Selects one of nine hard-coded end/mode messages for a fixed duration; it is not an arbitrary-text packet."
canonical: "https://aosplay.net/protocol-168/packets/73"
markdown: "https://aosplay.net/docs/protocol-168/packets/73.md"
last_updated: "2026-07-16"
protocol: "Ace of Spades Battle Builder 168"
packet_id_decimal: "73"
packet_id_hex: "0x49"
direction: "S→C"
family: "Interface"
implementation_status: "Reversed / unused"
evidence: "Live-verified"
wire_size: "4 bytes"
---

# Packet 73: ShowTextMessage

> Selects one of nine hard-coded end/mode messages for a fixed duration; it is not an arbitrary-text packet.

- **Decimal ID:** 73
- **Hex ID:** 0x49
- **Direction:** S→C
- **Family:** Interface
- **Status:** Reversed / unused
- **Evidence:** Live-verified
- **Wire size:** 4 bytes

## Implementation note

BattleSpades intentionally uses ChatMessage (49) or LocalisedMessage (50) for free-form and localized announcements.

## Exact wire layout

The application packet ID is the first byte. The remaining rows are in decode order. Byte sizes exclude ENet headers, wrapper prefixes, LZF chunk framing, and compression effects.

| # | Field | Encoding | Bytes | Purpose | Condition |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: | --- | --- |
| 0 | `packet_id` | u8 | 1 | Always 73 (0x49). | — |
| 1 | `message_id` | u8 | 1 | Native fixed-message enum. | — |
| 2 | `duration` | sign-magnitude fixed16 LE (1/64) | 2 | duration value. | — |

## Encoding conventions

- `LE` means least-significant byte first.
- `fixed16` is two-byte sign-magnitude at 1/64 precision.
- `orientation16` uses the measured 1/8192 orientation mapping.
- NUL strings consume their encoded byte length plus one `00` terminator.
- Counted arrays repeat immediately in the documented order.

## Related resources

- [HTML packet page](https://aosplay.net/protocol-168/packets/73)
- [Complete packet catalog](https://aosplay.net/protocol-168/packets)
- [Packet catalog in Markdown](https://aosplay.net/docs/protocol-168/packets.md)
- [Protocol 168 guide](https://aosplay.net/protocol-168)