Getting started

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Getting started	Fire Cavern: SeeD pre-exam	Dollet: Becoming a SeeD	Timber: Helping the Forest Owls	Galbadia Garden: A memorable meeting	Deling City: The parade

After an impressive prologue you’ll find yourself in the infirmary. Safe training. 'Nuff said. Enjoy the short conversation with Dr. Kadowaki (doesn’t matter what you answer to her question, it won’t affect the storyline) a mysterious girl will pay you a short visit. Not very helpful.

Just as much helpful is your pretty instructor Quistis Trepe who will enter the room with a short sequence and a sigh. Fight your way through her bitchy comments and follow her into the class room afterwards. Another conversation will take place, then you’ll finally be free to explore the garden on your own! And yes, there will be many of those annoying sequences and endless conversations in this game.. better get used to it.

Before you rush out of the classroom like the headless horseman, take a quick look at your computer and check the tutorial to receive your first two GFs: Shiva and Quetzacotl. So learning DOES pay off in the end! … does it?

NOW you’re free to go! ...fine, I lied again. Another dialogue awaits you when bumping into a girl on the corridor. She will ask you if you can show her around. (Before you ask, her name is not Marle.) Doesn’t matter if you take her along or not; if you need information or are not familiar with the game yet choose yes, then Squall will explain almost the whole garden to her. That is not necessary though, you’ll find your way quickly enough if you explore the garden a little on your own and I don’t see why you would want to add EVEN MORE DIALOGUES than necessary to this game (I told you, the game has enough of those). So I recommend you to ignore her pleads. It doesn’t affect the storyline either, by the way.

Lessee. You took the lady or not, doesn’t matter. You’ll (hopefully? If not, leave and enter the screen a few times until he appears) find a nice man with cards who will sit next to the elevator on the 2nd floor. Talk to him a few times and you will receive your first set of Triple Triad cards! (Instructions, cards and rules are to be found in the Triple Triad section of this shrine.)

The REAL adventure will start in the basement! You can inform yourself at the board about which of the rainbow- coloured arrows on the floor will lead you to which part of the garden. The most useful thing to do now would be visiting the library. You will find a draw point in the corner and an Occult Fan magazine on one of the bookshelves. These magazines contain useful hints about certain side quests in the game; they are not essential though (especially not in this case, since you’re obviously reading a walkthrough :P).

NOW you’re free to go! Yes, I know I said that already. You can test your strength in the training hall and level up a little if you want. Watch out with T-Rexaurs though, they have loads of HP. If you already know how to junction GFs, junction Shiva to Squall and earn lots of experience points; if not, leave the garden to see Quistis. She will explain the junctioning system to you.
Finally! After a very long beginning, lots of talking and exploring and getting used to the controls we can start with the storyline.
Let the gaming begin!

Tips

Triple Triad: Now, most people will probably advise you to card a few enemies before you start playing. I say that is a waste of time, because although you have bad cards you still have a chance of winning. If you lose the first time, you still have the chance to card enemies later. You can either go back to the classroom now and play against one of the two girls who are standing there to receive the Quistis card, or you can beat the jogger in the basement for the Minimog- card. These are the first two strong cards you should be getting.
Carding: To card enemies, you need Quetzalcotl's card ability. You can save on the world map by the way, so make good use of it and save often. (While playing FF8 though, I think I never used the card ability even ONCE. It's not a shame if you do though.)

Junctioning: My recommended abilities for every character are GF, Draw and either Item or Magic for now. Keep the same order for all your characters so you can react faster in the heat of battle.