At DreamQuest Software, we love to take time to think about the impact gaming has had on our society. A time-honored tradition with roots that probably extend as far back as the history of mankind, gaming involves the development of basic human skills exercised for amusement, while at the same time exercised to hone usefulness.

Gaming has always been, at its core, a social endeavor. Twenty-first century gaming has taken on a much different look than its more primitive forbearers. Gaming enables people from everywhere to come together at a neutral gathering ground and enjoy the spirit of competition on a level playing field.

Gaming transcends space and time, breaks down social barriers, lessens cultural divides, nullifies philosophical differences and provides a universal language that is welcoming to all. It brings people together by providing a common connection, a single point of interest that can open hearts and minds to new ideas, new cultures, and new ways of looking at the world.

During these cold months, DreamQuest encourages gamers from all walks of this earth to help obliterate barriers and conquer divides. Introduce friends and family members to any one of DreamQuest's many games. Challenge them to a game of hearts, declare checkmate in a foreign tongue or march to victory in Euchre. Whatever your games of choice, use it to bring people of all different interests together.

• Are Computer Games the Future of Teaching?
• More DreamQuest Games Get Clean Bills of Health
• Social Gaming Connects the Connected
• February Sale
• Bleeding Out Spades: A Tip about Hearts
• Did You Know?

The perfect teacher may be described as someone who is patient, able to adapt to the learning styles of each student and creative. Ironically, these are the exact terms used to describe many of the computer games currently on the market whose potential to educate are endless.

Computer games are unique because they can tap into the inner reaches of students' minds without them even realizing it, enabling them to effortlessly make connections that may have been painstaking via traditional methods. Essentially, computer games make learning fun!

Some of you may remember Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? In the mid-80s it was all the rage with young and old alike. The game challenged players to capture the ever elusive Carmen Sandiego, providing geographic tips and clues about her whereabouts. While players focused on tracking down Ms. Sandiego, they also participated in a highly effective geography lesson. The task of locating and booking her became a learning experience unlike any other.

More than 20 years later, games like Civilization and Age of Empires transport students to worlds far beyond their current environments. The evolution of games like Carmen Sandiego brings students into worlds previously only accessible in books. But unlike books, bright graphics and compelling sounds, coupled with challenge and competition, are incorporated into computer learning to fully capture students' interest.

For graduate students who aim to become educators, creating their own teaching tool, or game, is an ideal opportunity to solicit relevant issues and problem-solving scenarios while incorporating pertinent news stories, pictures, maps or characters. Games can be very engaging. When designers understand the elements that contribute to their appeal, they can make games that connect and educate people the world over.

Cupid's Arrows Shoot Through Our Hearts... and our Prices!

DreamQuest's Special "Hearts-A-Fire Sale" Heats up the Month of Love

St. Valentine's Cupid has done it again! He's visited DreamQuest headquarters, shooting flaming arrows through our hearts... our game of Hearts, that is. He's ignited quite a blaze, prompting DreamQuest to offer our game of Hearts at fire-sale prices.

It's true what they say: All's fair in love... and gaming! And that couldn't be better news for Hearts fans. In the spirit of the season, DreamQuest is "showing the love" by slashing prices on this favorite, in half!

That's 50% off our regular price!

So don't delay! Hearts are melting... and so is this deal!

By now, it is goes without saying that DreamQuest is committed to the absolute satisfaction of our customers. And we know a big piece of the satisfaction equation is providing clean, virus-free games that pose no threats to your computer.

It is with this long-standing commitment in mind that we are pleased to share that Championship Solitaire Challenge and Championship Hearts All-Stars were recently awarded "100% CLEAN" awards after being tested for spyware, adware and other viruses. Championship Solitaire All-Stars earned honors from Softpedia Labs, which determined the game is of the highest quality. Likewise, Championship Hearts All-Stars received similar honors from Softs43.com, gaining praise for ease-of-use, as well as for its lack of potential virus threats.

Begin experiencing stunning new art and bright game menus, challenging 24 fun and realistic opponents and learning from DreamQuest's Dream Coast when you purchase Championship Solitaire All-Stars and Championship Hearts All-Stars today.

With the popularity of online casual gaming and the high participation in social networks such as Facebook and MySpace, it's a wonder it has taken so long to combine the two. But have no fear...new social game startups are here! Companies like Zynga Game Networks have found that by developing casual games that operate on these social network platforms, they can tap into a whole new world of gamers, those that share, interact and communicate online.

As gaming is a positive enhancement to social sites, helping to bolster advertising revenue, many social networks make a practice of offering an open invitation to entrepreneurs to take advantage of social sites' huge user base. Social gaming start-ups are readily accepting these invitations, and are gaining significant momentum and popularity by combining the user engagement attributes of casual games with the distribution potential of social networking platforms.

Social networks are now the fastest growing game platforms around. With a large network of friends, a user can potentially receive dozens of invitations to play one of many games each day. And although social networks have discussed building interconnected channels for some time, it seems that social gaming is the new glue that binds social networks and virtual worlds together.

But aren't social networks games in and of themselves? There may be no real end to the game, but there is a goal - to win friends and influence people. The techniques you use to do this are to manipulate and to project your identity via role playing. Participants in social networking may not know it, but they are already ahead of the game!