What if: Gift wrapping Steam gifts?

[Mystic Monkey]

Just something I thought of.

For a small fee of... I dunno, 50-100 points, depends on the wrapping paper I guess. What if it was possible to buy digital wrapping paper and to digitally "gift wrap" games that you purchase to give to others?

For example you "Add to Cart" and "Purchase as a Gift" and after selecting who you want to deliver it to you can have the option of "gift wrap" where you can pick a wrapping paper design from your inventory and when the game is sent the other will receive it "gift wrapped".

When received they will not be informed of the game other than it being called "gift". A micro-game will start where the user is presented with a 340x408 display of the wrapping paper. By holding down left-click and dragging they can rip the paper off in strips of various sizes. When at least half the paper is ripped off the receiver may choose to skip the rest and accept the game or continue to rip off the paper.

The Point Shop could sell a variety of wrapping paper, some for Christmas, some for Birthdays, some specific to games. Maybe even a wrapping paper that will accept a custom image file to tile out as custom paper.

The whole point of the idea is that while it's nice to receive gifts on Christmas or Birthdays they're traditionally wrapped so that the receiver has no idea what it is until they get to rip open the paper and see what it is. The idea of delivering Steam gifts with an optional micro-game could make recieving the gift more of a surprise.

Alternative methods of decorated delivery in mind:
Envelope The envelope is 460x215 in size and may function similar to a postcard, the front with a picture (seasonal or promotional etc) and is opened with a simple click which will show the banner art of the product.

Jack-in-the-box A sort of Halloween variation. Player turns a crank and the game pops out the surprise them.

Puzzle box The gift is concealed behind a very simple, basic puzzle. This gift wrap is ideal for those who enjoy puzzle games, especially if the gift itself is a puzzle game.

[Gwarsbane]

No... its still a surprise when you get a pop up saying you have a gift. We don't need virtual wrapping paper or a mini game for people to waste points on.

If you want to waste points, give people one of those dumb awards that valve thought was such a good idea but that are causing spam just like we told them it would. Or better yet buy some of the emoticons that you can't trade/gift or delete for yourself.

[Papadoc]

Use those points to buy these animated backgrounds and avatars