diff --git a/source/src/winserviceinstaller.h b/source/src/winserviceinstaller.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c337feb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/src/winserviceinstaller.h
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// minimal windows service installer
+
+class winserviceinstaller
+{
+
+private:
+    LPCSTR name;
+    LPCSTR displayName;
+    LPCSTR path;
+
+    SC_HANDLE scm;
+
+public:
+    winserviceinstaller(LPCSTR name, LPCSTR displayName, LPCSTR path) : name(name), displayName(displayName), path(path)
+    {
+    }
+
+    ~winserviceinstaller()
+    {
+        CloseManager();
+    }
+
+    bool OpenManger()
+    {
+        return ((scm = OpenSCManager(NULL, NULL, SC_MANAGER_ALL_ACCESS)) != NULL);
+    }
+
+    void CloseManager()
+    {
+        if(scm) CloseServiceHandle(scm);
+    }
+
+    int IsInstalled()
+    {
+        if(!scm) return -1;
+        SC_HANDLE svc = OpenService(scm, name, SC_MANAGER_CONNECT);
+        bool installed = svc != NULL;
+        CloseServiceHandle(svc);
+        return installed ? 1 : 0;
+    }
+    	
+    int Install()
+    {
+        if(!scm) return -1;
+        SC_HANDLE svc = CreateService(scm, name, displayName, SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS, SERVICE_WIN32_OWN_PROCESS, SERVICE_DEMAND_START, SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL, path, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+        if(svc == NULL) return 0;
+        else
+        {
+            CloseServiceHandle(svc);
+            return 1;
+        }
+    }
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/source/src/wizard.cpp b/source/src/wizard.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..699851d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/src/wizard.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+// wizard to start an AssaultCube server and storing the configuration
+
+
+#include "pch.h"
+
+#include <map>
+#include <string>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <fstream>
+
+using namespace std;
+
+#ifdef WIN32
+    #pragma warning( disable : 4996 )
+    #include <direct.h>
+    #include "winserviceinstaller.h"
+#elif __GNUC__
+    #include <sys/types.h>
+    #include <sys/stat.h>
+#endif
+
+int wizardmain(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    if(argc < 3)
+    {
+        cout << "invalid arguments specified!" << endl << "usage: ac_server <outfile> <relbinarypath>" << endl;
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
+
+    string outfile(argv[1]);
+    string relpath(argv[2]);
+
+	map<string, string> args;
+
+	cout << "AssaultCube Server Wizard" << endl << endl;
+    cout << "You can now specify some optional server settings. The default settings will be used if you decide to leave the fields empty. See README.html for a description of the settings." << endl << endl;
+
+	cout << "server description:\t";
+	getline(cin, args["n"]);
+
+	cout << "max clients:\t\t"; 
+	getline(cin, args["c"]);
+
+	cout << "password:\t\t";
+	getline(cin, args["p"]);
+
+	cout << "admin password:\t\t";
+	getline(cin, args["x"]);
+
+	cout << "message of the day:\t";
+	getline(cin, args["o"]);
+
+	cout << "server port:\t\t";
+	getline(cin, args["f"]);
+
+	cout << "masterserver:\t\t";
+	getline(cin, args["m"]);
+
+	cout << "maprotation file:\t";
+	getline(cin, args["r"]);
+
+	cout << "score threshold:\t";
+	getline(cin, args["k"]);
+
+	cout << "upstream bandwidth:\t";
+	getline(cin, args["u"]);
+
+	cout << "ip:\t\t\t";
+	getline(cin, args["i"]);
+
+#ifdef WIN32
+
+    string wsname, wsdisplayname;
+	cout << "win service name:\t";
+	getline(cin, wsname);
+
+    if(!wsname.empty())
+    {
+        cout << "win service display:\t";
+        getline(cin, wsdisplayname);
+    }
+
+#endif
+
+    string argstr;
+	
+	for(map<string, string>::iterator i = args.begin(); i != args.end(); i++)
+	{
+		if((*i).second.empty()) continue; // arg value not set
+		else
+		{
+			argstr += " -" + (*i).first;
+			if((*i).second.find(" ") == string::npos) argstr += (*i).second;
+			else argstr += '"' + (*i).second + '"'; // escape spaces
+		}
+	}
+
+	cout << endl << "Writing your configuration to " << outfile << " ... ";
+
+	try
+	{
+        fstream startupScript(outfile.c_str(), ios::out);
+#ifdef WIN32
+        startupScript << relpath << argstr << endl << "pause" << endl;
+#elif __GNUC__
+	    startupScript << "#! /bin/sh" << endl << relpath << argstr << endl;
+#endif
+		startupScript.close();
+	}
+	catch(...)
+	{
+		cout << "Failed!" << endl;
+		return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	}
+
+    cout << "Done" << endl << endl;
+    cout << "Note: You can start " << outfile << " directly the next time you want to use this configuration again." << endl << endl;
+
+#ifdef WIN32
+
+    if(!wsname.empty())
+    {
+        if(wsdisplayname.empty()) wsdisplayname = wsname;
+
+        cout << "Installing the AC Server as windows service ... ";
+
+        char path[MAX_PATH];
+	    _getcwd(path, MAX_PATH);
+        strncat(path, ("\\" + relpath + " -S" + wsname + " " + argstr).c_str(), MAX_PATH);
+
+        winserviceinstaller installer(wsname.c_str(), wsdisplayname.c_str(), path);
+        
+        int r;
+        if(!installer.OpenManger()) 
+        { 
+            cout << "Failed!" << endl;
+            cout << "Could not open the Service Control Manager: " << GetLastError() << endl;
+            installer.CloseManager();
+            return EXIT_FAILURE;
+        }
+        
+        if((r = installer.IsInstalled()) != 0)
+        {
+            cout << "Failed!" << endl;
+            if(r == -1) cout << "Error accessing the Service Control Manager" << endl;
+            else if(r == 1) cout << "A windows service with this name (" << wsname << ")is already installed: " << GetLastError() << endl;
+            return EXIT_FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        if((r = installer.Install()) != 1)
+        {
+            cout << "Failed!" << endl;
+            if(r == -1) cout << "Error accessing the Service Control Manager" << endl;
+            else if(r == 0) cout << "Could not create the new windows service: " << GetLastError() << endl;
+            return EXIT_FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        cout << "Done" << endl << endl;
+        cout << "Note: You can now manage your AC server using services.msc and sc.exe" << endl << endl;
+    }
+
+#endif
+
+	cout << "Press Enter to start the server now" << endl;
+	cin.get();
+	cout << "Starting the AC server ..." << endl;
+	system((relpath + argstr).c_str());
+
+	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}