gistfile1.py

import socket


def get_info(host, port):
	#Set up our socket
	s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
	s.connect((host, port))


	#Send 0xFE: Server list ping
	s.send('\xfe')
	#Send 0x01
	s.send('\x01')


	#Read as much data as we can (max packet size: 241 bytes)
	d = s.recv(256)
	s.close()


	#Check we've got a 0xFF Disconnect
	assert d[0] == '\xff'


	#Remove the packet ident (0xFF) and the short containing the length of the string
	#Decode UCS-2 string
	#Split into list
	d = d[3:].decode('utf-16be').split(u'\x00')


	#Return a dict of values
	return {'protocol_version': int(d[1]),
            'minecraft_version':    d[2],
            'motd':                 d[3],
	        'players':          int(d[4]),
	        'max_players':      int(d[5])}

Came up with a version compatible with both old and new responses depending on what the server sends back

import socket

def get_info(host, port):
    try:
        #Set up our socket
        s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
        s.settimeout(2.0)
        s.connect((host, port))

        #Send 0xFE: Server list ping
        s.send('\xfe')
        #Send a payload of 0x01 to trigger a new response if the server supports it
        s.send('\x01')

        #Read as much data as we can (max packet size: 241 bytes)
        d = s.recv(256)
        s.close()

        #Check we've got a 0xFF Disconnect
        assert d[0] == '\xff'

        #Remove the packet ident (0xFF) and the short containing the length of the string
        #Decode UCS-2 string
        d = d[3:].decode('utf-16be')

        #If the response string starts with simolean1, then we're dealing with the new response
        if (d.startswith(u'\xa7' + '1')):
            d = d.split(u'\x00')
            #Return a dict of values
            return {'protocol_version': int(d[1]),
                    'minecraft_version':    d[2],
                    'motd':                 d[3],
                    'players':          int(d[4]),
                    'max_players':      int(d[5])}
        else:
            d = d.split(u'\xa7')
            #Return a dict of values
            return {'motd':         d[0],
                    'players':   int(d[1]),
                    'max_players': int(d[2])}