We decided to change the name of the application. It happens today with the release of version 0.0.47!
WAIT WHAT?! WHY?
Yes, we adopted the name Cubzh for a few reasons:
🔶 We released an app called « Particubes » in 2017, a simple voxel editor for iOS. In 2019 we started prototyping this new app under the same name. It wasn’t the best idea… 🙄 We ended up with 2 apps named « Particubes »… 🤦♂️
🔶 Even though it has its own spelling, it’s pronounced just like « cubes ».
🔶 Therefore, « Play Cubzh » sounds like « play cubes », you know these wooden alphabet blocks. They’re simple, super accessible, they help young ones develop their social, intellectual & creative skills. Somehow, what we’re building shares similar properties, for an audience that’s a bit more mature. 😄
🔶 I know french people will ask, yes, we could get a .bzh domain name because a bunch of us are located in Brittany (west part of France). The opportunity to grab a cool domain name (https://cu.bzh/) played its part.
WHY NOW?
That’s a good point. We’ve been working on this project under the name « Particubes » for 3 years now, and it didn’t seem to bother us until now. Truth is, it did. But we couldn’t think of a good name and it wasn’t really a blocker so… We could keep programming and leave that for later.
We thought about this new name back in January. But it was really not a good time to focus on a change of name. The company had financial issues, we weren’t even sure to make it past April 2022. 😥 But we overcame that, and are now entering a new phase:
🔶 We could convince great investors to support us. We now have at least 1.5 years of runway, it allows to put things into perspective.
🔶 In July, Zach Soares (https//voxels.ca/) accepted to help us designing new avatars and associated templates that would let users build & publish all kinds of equipments for them.
The new avatars that you’ll see in the update may not be final, but it’s heading in that direction, and we almost have everything in place to help you build avatar equipments yourselves. 🙂
🔶 To be able to keep working on this project for years, we need it to become sustainable. We now have a clear vision for this. The business model is going to based on transaction fees. So it doesn’t change our goal. We need to build the best tools, allowing creative ones to build great things others will want to acquire.
🔶 Yes, we’re interested in decentralization & blockchain technologies to implement such model. We’re well aware of blockchain’s bad reputation, scams, added friction, exclusiveness, the lack of fun generally in that universe… We’re tech people, all I’m saying is that we’re interested in the technology, and we’ll use it if it really helps getting things done. Not attracted at all by classic crypto project schemes. We won’t do it if it adds friction, if it makes the app less accessible, less free-to-use.
🔶 We started to open-source Cubzh (Github).
🔶 To finish with the most exciting, the scripting environment recently became mature enough to start focusing on more user facing features:
- Avatar editor
- Items made out of multiple shapes
- Animation editor
- World editor (no need to code to create places for you and your friends)
- Marketplace
- Sounds
- Custom colors
- Lights & Shadows
Hell yeah, entering a new phase, lots of changes. What better time than now for a change of name? There you go! Goodbye Particubes, you served us well as a first name. Hello Cubzh, already got a lot on your shoulders! ☺️
See you around everyone!
