Edit: Already made something, see http://www.cusointeractive.com, please look at all posts below for more information.
Blabla(but I think it's important)
Excuse me for the somewhat vague title of this post, but, to be honest, I wanted to draw some attention to this topic.
I really think we need something like a publisher. Not to make money, but something like a freeware publisher, that way the games from the darkbasic community will get more attention from the general public.
To give an example
Age of Mythology is made by Ensemble Studios
Impossible Creatures is made by Relic Entertainment
Zoo Tycoon is made by Blue Fang Games
All of the three titles are published by Microsoft, but all three titles have been developed by different studios. Because all three have been published by the same publisher, these titles are seen by the public easier and sooner. Okay, of course it's also because of the fact that Microsoft is a very well known publisher all ready, but if a 'darkbasic publisher'-thing would give out a lot of games, it could become very well known too.
My idea
We should have ONE 'brandname' that publishes all the darkbasic games, for the reason I've given in the text before. That 'brandname' should have an own nice looking website, that displays all 'our' games. All darkbasic games should state in the readme that it's published by the 'brandname' and of course have a link to the website of the 'brandname'. In the game it should display the logo of the publisher/brandname(not all the time, just at the start or something like that, it shouldn't be a rule, just a guidline). The website should not only display all games, but should also provide download links, a description and screenshots.
Disadvantages
Possible disadvantages could be the loss of individuality. But it doesn't have to be that great of a loss. The websites of the developers don't have to dissapear, they could stay. The readme could show BOTH the publisher AND the developer. Also the logo of the developer and the publisher could be shown in the game.
Advantages
Like I stated earlier, more attention for all of our games is a big advantage. But our games will also look more professional when they are all futured on a website and have something like a publisher. Also, some games don't have a website at the moment, because the developer doesn't have webspace, now they can be futured at the publisher's website. Because all the games are futured on both your website, and the website of the publisher, they just have a little more chance to be seen and downloaded.
And there could be a game a and a game b, both published by the 'darkbasic-publisher'. Someone downloads game a, and thinks 'hey cool game, wait.. let's go to the publishers website' There he sees game b, and he downloads game b, that kind of things are just big advantages, when we would more unite.
A possible plan
At the moment, I've a domain that isn't used(
http://www.cusointeractive.com). It could function as a publisher for all dark basic games. The publisher could simply be CuSo Interactive. You may think... 'yeah, he makes this post, just to make some profit himself'. But that's not true, the domain costs me 50 euros a year, and the site won't have any advertisements! Also if there will be shareware or other non-freeware games futured on the site, no money will go to me, it will al go to the developer(of course). I really don't have this idea to make any profit, okay, well a little bit. I make some games too, sometimes, and I would love it when there would be something like one publisher for all darkbasic games.
And, it's not even necessary to do it on CuSo Interactive, if someone has a better idea, be my guest=) Of course I wouldn't do it all alone, I should need some people that helps me with deciding which games should be futured on the mainpage and that kind of stuff, and the deciding of choosing a nice logo. Just think about this idea, and post your comments, please.
(Sorry for my bad English, it isn't my native language. Also sorry for the big post.)
