The internet has proven to be an amazing delivery conduit for words, information, music, pictures and generally anything that can be turned into little 1s and 0s. As we approach the end of the year the question is asked “Can the Internet deliver my Christmas presents?” Now thanks to a remarkable innovation at www.ustargames.com the answer is yes, there really is an online Santa.

Kite Capers, the first of the U Star Games range of interactive, personalized PC Story Books is now available as a present that can be delivered over the internet.

What the brains behind U Star Games have discovered is that although the ultimate worth of their product comes from the experience the end-users enjoy once they play the game, the actual giving of the gift is an experience rich in value itself.

So how do you replicate the whole experience of opening the carefully chosen card, reading the thoughtfully composed message, the unwrapping of the brightly colored wrapping paper and the joy of digging in pulling out your present? By simply providing exactly the same experience through an online animated, interactive experience.

The present buyer has their choice of 3D e-cards which they can personalize by writing their own message on the inside. Unlike usual e-cards, these appear much more like real-world cards, complete with front cover and two panel interior. Unlike real-word cards, however, these cards are interactive and even contain small simple games for the child to play.

The buyer has their

The child gets an email, addressed from the sender’s email address, containing a gift-link. Once this is clicked on the child is taken to a special site where they are presented with their card and gift-box.

After opening and reading the card, the child is then offered the option of “opening” their e-gift. This causes harps to strum, the ribbon to gracefully slide off the box, the lid to swing back and balloons to fly out of the box. Springing out of the box then is the 3D graphical representation of the Kite Capers CD-ROM package.

The child is asked if they’d like to download their present, if they do, the package is then downloaded quickly onto their hard-drive and away they go.

The process seems as fun to the gift-giver as to the lucky child and provides a wonderful option for those with young relatives they’ll be unable to visit on their birthdays or this Christmas.

And much less mess for the rest us to clean up.

So have a look at Virtual Wrapping Paper and E-Gifts at www.ustargames.com the process is free and very easy to trial and you might find yourself sending your first present through the internet.

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