After the training sequence Squall wakes up in the infirmary. The doctor, Dr. Kadowaki, will ask you how you are feeling. Regardless which one you choose, Dr. Kadowaki will ask you to say your name to her. I've always chosen the defaults name, it's easier to remember who's who. After you choose your name. You and Dr. Kadowaki will talk about taking it easy and about Seifer. She'll then call your instructor Quistis. Then a girl in blue, white and green will peek on the window. You don't know her (yet) but you will by mid-Disk 2.
Quistis will then tell you to follow her since it's the day of the field exam. She'll try to engage Squall in talk, keep pressing (x), or it's equivalent if you're using an emulator. Keep pressing it until Quistis ends the class and tells Squall that she needs to talk to him.
Note:
• Don't talk to Quistis immediately. Sit down again by pressing (x). If that doesn't work move a bit then press (x). You should sit right back and your console will show on the screen.
• Choosing "(.... What a pain.) will prompt you back to your classroom. You want to choose "(Turn on the power and...)".
• Choose "Tutorial" and you'll see that you have 2 GFs (Guardian Forces) assigned to you, Quezacotl and Shiva.
• You'll be asked to confirm their names. I chose to leave their names by default so I don't get confused.
• If it's not your first time to play Final Fantasy 8 and you already know how to junction, press (s) to log off the terminal. Or you can stay and choose to read through all of the tutorials. Bear in mind that you will still go through these tutorials later in the game. If you've pressed (s) and you think you still need more information you will be prompted before you totally log off. Choose between "(I'm done)" and "(...One more time)".
• When you've logged off, you're ready to talk to Quistis. Junction Quezacotl and Shiva to Squall. Also, set-up your config in Menu>Config. Set your Cursor to Memory, so you don't have to select the same action over and over and set your Battle Speed to Fast, so you don't get bored much.
Talk to Quistis. The students around her will move away. She'll tell you that the trip to the Fire Cavern is a prerequisite, which is true. You can't move forward in the game unless you finish the Fire Cavern exam. She'll wait for you at the front gate until you're ready. Head out of the room and go one screen down. You'll bump into a girl (Selphie). She'll talk to you and then she'll ask you if you want to give her a tour of the garden. Remember that in the future all of your actions will have an impact on your SeeD rank, so be professional at all times. Give her a tour. (Map of Balamb Garden can also be seen on the Maps page).
After you've given Selphie a tour, go back to the directory. Point the cursor to the Library and you're nearly there.
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| Get Occult Fan I in the library. |
Move one screen right and you're inside the library. In the library, go to the lower part with 2 shelves. It'll go to another screen with an Esuna draw point. That's your first magic. Head out of that screen and on the shelf right beside it, pick up Occult Fan I (see image). Read it my going to Menu> Item> Use> Occult Fan I.
Meet Quistis on the front gate. Go to the directory and save your game, it’s in front of the directory. “Talk” to the directory and choose front gate. When you’re there, go one screen up (away from Quistis) and draw Cure. Go near Quistis and she'll give you a tutorial about Junction. Before heading out of Balamb Garden, Junction 1 GF to Quistis so she can have command abilities as well.
Now this is the boring part. It’s boring now, but in the long run you’ll be able to notice that stocking different magic and carding helps you a lot in the later part of the game. What I do is go behind Balamb Garden and stock up on Fire, Cure and Blizzard as much as I can. Then finish off the monster. Then head over to the shore located in front of Balamb Garden and look for Fastitocalion-Fs. Per batch (2 of them) gives 6 APs. Once I get Quezacotl’s Card Ability, I card them as much as I can instead of finishing them off. This keeps my characters in low levels (making the monsters low levels as well) while leveling up my Guardian Forces (GF) abilities. Once I’ve stocked up on almost anything available AND I’ve learned the preliminary junctions (Card, SumMag+10%,SumMag+20% and SumMag+30% for Quezacotl; SumMag+10%,SumMag+20% and SumMag+30% for Shiva) , I head off to the Fire Cavern.
Note: When you’re in the Map area you can save anywhere. Save before entering the Fire Cavern.