1.0 Balamb Garden and Acquiring Yourself Items In This Area: 6x Potion, 4x Phoenix Down, 2x Remedy, 1x Tent, (1x Geezard, 1x Funguar, 1x Red Bat, 1x Gayla, 1x Gesper, 1x Fastitocalon-F, 1x Caterchipillar) 7x Cards, 1x Occult Fan I Magic In This Area: Esuna - at the library Blizzard - at the Training Center Cure - at the frontyard [Central Gate] Guardian Forces: Quezacotl, Shiva. Save Points In This Area: B-Garden - Dormitory B-Garden - Hall [Lobby] B-Garden - Training Center Monsters In This Area B-Garden Training Center Grat: Sleep, Silence, [Berserk], {Confuse} T-Rexaur: Fire*, Thunder* {Quake} Balamb - Acauld Plains Bite Bug: Fire*, Scan Caterchipillar: Thunder*, Cure*, [Slow], {Stop} (forests) Glaccid Eye: Blizzard*, Cure*, Scan (near mountains) T-Rexaur: Fire*, Thunder*, {Quake} (forests) Rinaul Shores Fastitocalon: Blizzard*, Sleep, {Water}, Scan

After sustaining a nasty head wound from Seifer, Squall will be lying down in Balamb Garden's infirmary. He is beeing looked over by Dr. Kadowaki, who will ask Squall whether he is alright. Pick any answer for Squall's reply and you will be given a chance to give him a name of your choice. After a short converstation, there is another FMV sequence..

** FMV **
Squall sighs and lies back on the bed. A girl dressed in blue, peeps into the small room and, following a lady wearing a pair of spectacles, enters.

The lady is, of course, Squall's teacher Quistis Trepe. She will instruct Squall to follow her. Along the corridor, you will be able to talk to her by pressing the Circle button (Another FMV sequence about the Garden will play). Keep following Quistis down the path.

You will eventually enter the classroom. Squall takes up a position at the back of the class along with Seifer Almasy, the person who had just given him the injury. Quistis will talk to the class and they will begin the SeeD examinations.

After the exam, you will regain control of Squall. Now you are able to view your menu (by pressing the Triangle button). Go and talk to Quistis who is surrounded by a group of students. She will tell you go to the Fire Cave and find the first Guardian Force, Ifrit. You can go back to your seat and watch the tutorial in the Balamb Garden Network, and try to get a slight idea on how to use the junction system correctly:

Balamb Garden Network

On the screen, select the first option and you will be able to use the network. There are many slots, each giving you information about G.F. monsters [choose Tutorial] and you will find more being listed on the screen. The first time you choose 'Tutorial', you will be asked to name two Guardian Forces; Shiva and Quetzalcoatl. It is advisable that you take a look at the in-depth tutorials throughout the game.

Don't forget to equip your newly aquired Guardian Forces so you have some new batte commands!

Once you have got Selphie Tilmitt in your party and the first Timber Maniacs, come back to the Balamb Garden Network and a new option will come available: 'School Festival Commitee', which contains useful information.

There is a SeeD test in the 'TEST' menu. Basically, the higher your SeeD level, the more you get paid while on missions. Your level can decrease throughout the game without warning if you cut corners, etc. If you want to cheat, or if you are genuinely stuck, go here to see the answers.

Now exit the classroom. On the walkway, head south and Squall will knock into a girl from Trabia Garen who is here for the School Festival Commitee. If you keep talking nicely to her, Squall will show her around the school and thus they will head left for the elevator.

There is a man dressed in yellow, talk to him and you will give you a pack of 7 cards with some instructions. This enables you to play cards with most people in Final Fantasy 8 by simply going up to them and pressing the circle. (View the Card-Players Guide).

Now go inside the elevator. The elevator will take you to the 1st storey of the building and there is a short sequence where Squall will explain to the girl about the locations and their purpose which is also for your own benefit:

Balamb Garden: 1st Floor
This is the layout of the 1st floor of the school. It is arranged in a hexagon shaped with passages leading to different compartments.

1. Dormitory:	You can change your clothes here or sleep [to recover lost HP] when needed. There are three players there after you have completed the fight against the Ifrit [Grey]
2. Parking Lot:	The place where you park your vehicles [Yellow].
3. Training Center:	It's a jungle type arena with huge rocks, pipes and other scenary (Jurassic Park!). The first time you enter you will find two doors. There is a Save Point here [Green] and also a Magic Stone. Be warned: Fights abound... and you can die!
4. Library:	This is where students learn about magic and other things such as weapons and how to maintain them. There is a female player whom has very powerful cards. There is a Magic Stone located in between the bookshelves. There is Occult Fan I in one of bookshelves.. (get a clue from the two students and the study area). The man looking at the bookshelf is also another card player. [Blue]
5. Central Gate:	The entrance of SeeD school. It does not lead to World Map directly. There are 2 players at the main gate. A Magic Stone is found near the fountain. [Dark Blue]
6. Infirmary:	The place where you will find the doctor. This is where Squall was at the beginning of the game. [Purple]
7. Quad:	School Stage for amateur dramatics. You can play cards with the girl near the stage [Pink]
8. Cafeteria:	The canteen of Garden. There is another player sitting on the left of the table on the extreme right [Red]. You will meet Seifer with his two friends, Fuujin and Raijin
9. Elevator:	This takes you up and down to the different floors in the building.
10. Lobby:	The place where you can find a map of Garden 1st Floor. There is a Save point near it. Press Circle to view the map. L stands for Lobby.
Tired of walking around Garden? Examine the map at the center of the lobby and pick the area that you want to go to. Press Circle and your character will be on the correct path! This only works on Disc 1.

How do I save my game?
Get to a Save Point and choose the bottom most option from your menu. You can only save your game at a Save Point or on the World Map.

There is a Save Point at the lobby; it's located in front of the elevator.

Now head for the Central Gate: simply hold forward at the red gate when you get there and Squall will knock it open. You will find yourself right at the front of the Garden. There is another card player somewhere around here. Keep making your way to the exit and you will reach the school gate where you will meet Quistis (you will have a useful tutorial on Junctioning).

When you continue, you will be on the world map for the first time. The appearance of the world map contrasts a lot with that of Final Fantasy VII's; this time, the visable structures are much bigger than the character to stay intune with the realistic approach of Final Fantasy VIII.

Anyway, make your way towards the right, not following the road, cut through the forest, and eventually you will find a cave located to the east, called the Fire Cavern.

Note that on the World Map you WILL encounter random battles, whether in forests or on grasslands. Remember to save as much as possible. Press SELECT to view the World Map (press it again and you will be able to view the full World Map).

1.1 The Fire Cavern Items In This Area: 4x G-Returners, 1x Ifrit's Card Magic In This Area: Fire - on the right path of the three-way path of the Cavern. Guardian Forces: Ifrit. Save Points In This Area: None. Monsters In This Area Fire Cavern Red Bat: Thunder*, Scan*, {Drain} Bomb: Fire, [Fira], {Firaga}, {Meltdown} Buel: Fire*, Thunder*, Blizzard*, {Death} Ifrit: Fire*, Cure*, Scan (BOSS)

As you reach the cave, Quistis will ask you whether you have been taught how to use Squall's Renzoukuken - so decide if you want a recap or not (note that you will also have a tutorial on Junctioning Magic).

When you reach the entrance of the cave, you will meet two Garden Faculties wearing yellow caps. Talk to them and you will be given two options; pick the 1st option and they will give you a time limit to do the task that lies ahead, so pick 40 minutes and now you will be able to enter the cave (remember to have a few Phoenix Downs and Potions available).

Inside the cave, you will find Quistis quite a nuisance as she keeps on telling Squall about her abilities.

How do I use Draw Points?
This is really simple; First of all you must have equipped a G.F. and the command "Draw" to at least one of your party members. Next, approach a Draw Point and press Circle and you will be given a list characters to draw some magic to (it depends on the number of characters you have in the party).

The cave is pretty straight forward - head up the path towards the 3-way junction (note that monsters here are weak against cold and wet attacks). Take the right path and absorb some magic from the Draw Point. There you will find a fire pit of lava. After some chit-chat, you will have to fight the first Guardian Force, Ifrit!

The time limit continues whether you are talking or in a battle. The time will only stop when you are at the main menu. You must defeat the Ifrit and head back to the entrance within the time allocated.

BOSS NO. 1: IFRIT (GUARDIAN FORCE) LEVEL: 6, HP: 1068 Facts: Weak against Ice, Shiva. Nullifies Fire attacks. Attacks: Fire*, (Claw Swipe), (Jumper Claw Dive) Draw: Fire*, Cure*, Scan. Win: 20 AP, 4x G-Returner, Ifrit's Card Strategy Make full use of your Guardian Forces, Quetzalcoatl and Shiva (Shiva especially) and the battle should be pretty easy. Use Potions to heal and use Phoenix Downs to resurrect dead members. Note that the time stills goes on as you fight, so try and be as quick as you can. Remember not to use Fire elemental on him! Defeat Ifrit and he will be added to you Guardian Force collection.

After defeating Ifrit (and therefore gaining him), Quistis will teach you about Elemental Arts (a very useful thing to know about later on in the game, so listen carefully!).

The time limit will have stopped, so make your way to the exit where the Garden Faculties once were. Note that before you get back onto the World Map, you should junction Ifrit to one of your characters (with Blizzard junctioned to his or her's Elemental Attack).

You might want to do some battles on the Alcauld Plains (world map) before you head back to Balamb Garden...

From now onwards, you can go into the Fire Cavern anytime you wish and there is no time limit. Note also that the level of the monsters rises with Squall's level, so returning later in the game results in harder opposition.

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