diff --git a/UPGRADE.md b/UPGRADE.md
index b2635887..23085381 100644
--- a/UPGRADE.md
+++ b/UPGRADE.md
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ npm install # or simply 'yarn'
 # 0.0.12-beta to 0.0.13-beta
 * To enable the new Waiting for Caller (WFC) support, please see [WFC](docs/modding/wfc.md).
 * :exclamation: The SSH server's `ssh2` module has gone through a major upgrade. Existing users will need to comment out two SSH KEX algorithms from their `config.hjson` if present else clients such as NetRunner will not be able to connect over SSH. Comment out `diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256` and `diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1`
+* Gopher configuration change. See [WHATSNEW](WHATSNEW.md)
 * All features and changes are backwards compatible. There are a few new configuration options in a new `term` section in the configuration. These are all optional, but include the following options in case you use them:
 
 ```hjson
diff --git a/WHATSNEW.md b/WHATSNEW.md
index ed9d959f..7fde3239 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW.md
+++ b/WHATSNEW.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ This document attempts to track **major** changes and additions in ENiGMA½. For
 * SyncTERM style font support detection.
 * Added a system method to support setting the client encoding from menus, `@systemMethod:setClientEncoding`.
 * Many additional backward-compatible bug fixes since the first release of 0.0.12-beta. See the [project repository](https://github.com/NuSkooler/enigma-bbs) for more information.
+* Deprecated Gopher's `messageConferences` configuration key in favor of a easier to deal with `exposedConfAreas` allowing wildcards and exclusions. See [Gopher](./docs/servers/contentservers/gopher.md).
 
 ## 0.0.12-beta
 * The `master` branch has become mainline. What this means to users is `git pull` will always give you the latest and greatest. Make sure to read [Updating](./docs/admin/updating.md) and keep an eye on `WHATSNEW.md` (this file) and [UPGRADE](UPGRADE.md)! See also [ticket #276](https://github.com/NuSkooler/enigma-bbs/issues/276).
diff --git a/docs/_docs/servers/contentservers/gopher.md b/docs/_docs/servers/contentservers/gopher.md
index 2bbbcce0..694726ea 100644
--- a/docs/_docs/servers/contentservers/gopher.md
+++ b/docs/_docs/servers/contentservers/gopher.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ layout: page
 title: Gopher Server
 ---
 ## The Gopher Content Server
-The Gopher *content server* provides access to publicly exposed message conferences and areas over Gopher (gopher://) as well as any other content you wish to serve in your Gopher Hole!
+The Gopher *content server* provides access to publicly exposed message conferences and areas over Gopher (`gopher://`) as well as any other content you wish to serve in your Gopher Hole!
 
 ## Configuration
 Gopher configuration is found in `contentServers.gopher` in `config.hjson`.
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Gopher configuration is found in `contentServers.gopher` in `config.hjson`.
 | `port` | :-1: | Override the default port of `8070` |
 | `publicHostname` | :+1: | Set the **public** hostname/domain that Gopher will serve to the outside world. Example: `myfancybbs.com` |
 | `publicPort` | :+1: | Set the **public** port that Gopher will serve to the outside world. |
-| `messageConferences` | :-1: | An map of *conference tags* to *area tags* that are publicly exposed via Gopher. See example below. |
+| `exposedConfAreas` | :-1: | An map of *conference tags* to an object containing `include`'d *area tags*, and exceptions via `exclude`'d *area tags*. Area tags may contain wildcards of '*' and '?'. Any area tags that match will be exposed to Gopher. See **Example Configuration** below.
 
 Notes on `publicHostname` and `publicPort`:
 The Gopher protocol serves content that contains host/domain and port even when referencing it's own documents. Due to this, these members must be set to your publicly addressable Gopher server!
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ iWelcome to a Gopher server!        {publicHostname}    {publicPort}
 .
 ```
 
-### Example
-Let's suppose you are serving Gopher for your BBS at `myfancybbs.com`. Your ENiGMA½ system is listening on the default Gopher `port` of 8070 but you're behind a firewall and want port 70 exposed to the public. Lastly, you want to expose some fsxNet areas:
+### Example Configuration
+Let's suppose you are serving Gopher for your BBS at `myfancybbs.com`. Your ENiGMA½ system is listening on the default Gopher `port` of 8070 but you're behind a firewall and want port 70 exposed to the public. Lastly, you want to expose some ArakNet areas:
 
 ```hjson
 contentServers: {
@@ -55,9 +55,12 @@ contentServers: {
 
         //  Expose some public message conferences/areas
         messageConferences: {
-            fsxnet: { // fsxNet's conf tag
-                // Areas of fsxNet we want to expose:
-                "fsx_gen", "fsx_bbs"
+            araknet: { // ArakNet's conference tag
+                // start with all areas exposed
+                include: [ "*" ]
+
+                // ...except the +op and Phenom private areas
+                exclude: [ "ark_sysop", "ark_phenom" ]
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/misc/config_template.in.hjson b/misc/config_template.in.hjson
index 5b51b43a..b1001bd4 100644
--- a/misc/config_template.in.hjson
+++ b/misc/config_template.in.hjson
@@ -262,11 +262,19 @@
 
             //
             //  The Gopher Content Server can export message base
-            //  conferences and areas via the "messageConferences" key.
+            //  conferences and areas via the 'exposedConfAreas1 key
+            //  and 'include' and optional 'exclude' directives.
             //
             //  Example:
-            //  messageConferences: {
-            //      some_conf: [ "area_tag1", "area_tag2" ]
+            //  exposedConfAreas: {
+            //      some_conf: {
+            //          include: [ "*" ] // all
+            //          exclude: [ "not_this_one" ] // except...
+            //      }
+            //      another_conf: {
+            //          include: [ "foo", "bar", "baz" ]
+            //          exclude: [ "bazbang*" ]
+            //      }
             //  }
             //
         }