Final Fantasy 9 (IX) Disk 1 Evil Forest
Wait until Zidane is approached by the Moogle. You'll have your tutorial for ATE. Press Select when prompted. You'll then see a scene with Garnet and Vivi being attacked. Go to the Moogle (Mosco) and save your game. On the crates located on the upper side of the screen is a Phoenix Down. Once you get that, go down and enter what looks to be a bark of a tree.
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Follow the path until you find Vivi and Steiner and fight the monster that has Garnet. You'll be in Trance so instead of Skill you'll see Dyne. Choose Dyne > Free Energy since it's not an AOE and would not hurt Garnet. After you defeat it, it'll go away with her and another one will take Vivi. Fight this one as well. Don't forget to steal. It'll free Vivi once defeated and poison Vivi and Steiner afterwards.
The next scene will be inside the ship. There will be a scene of Vivi and Steiner. Once you get control of your character as Zidane, go to the right side of the room to get Bronze Gloves. The go down the screen and head on the stairs. There's going to be 2 ATE's (Press Select) that you can watch. Then another ATE will come out. Press Select and watch it.
Go downstairs and open the chest on that room for a Wrist. Go inside the room in the right (where Vivi is) and the chest on the upper part of the room has Ether. Go up the bed and there's 116 gil by the pillow. Go back down and talk to Vivi.
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Once you get out of the room, you'll be prompted if you want to go search for Garnet. I chose to do so. After you talk with Blank, go through the left door and get Ether on the lower part of the screen where Marcus is guarding the door. The go downstairs. Once there, head up to get a Rubber Helmet. Go inside the door in the right and talk to Baku. He'll challenge you and go out of the room. Get the Potion found here before doing so. The go out and defeat Baku. Don't forget to steal the Iron Sword and a Hi Potion from him.
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Pick up Steiner from his room. Marcus won't be barring the door anymore. After a short scene, you go out of the room. Go back in and get Ether. Head to the room on the right and go inside to talk to Vivi. Once you're outside of the room, make sure to equip what you can to everyone.
Go back to the room where you fought Baku. The go downwards to exit the ship. There'll be a short scene with Blank, after that you'll be outside the ship. Go back in and get Leather Hat on the chest on Blank's left side. Go outside talk to Cinna and buy what you want. Go to the Moogle Mosco and read the mail. Save your game.
Head back to where you first found Vivi, Garnet and Steiner in the forest and you'll be prompted for an ATE. This will be the ones who remained in the ship having some fun. Follow the obvious path going north until you get to a spring with a Moogle (Monty). There will be another ATE with Baku and Blank talking. Drink from the spring, give Monty his letter, read Stiltzkin's letter and save your game.
Go right but don't go inside the cave yet until you are level 4 or higher, or it will be expensive. What I did was go against the flower, go back to the spring to heal. The spring will recharge your MP and HP but won't take off the Blind status. No need to use the Eye Drops while you are trying to level up.
Make sure that before you get inside the cave you take out the blindness form your characters with Eye Drops. Once you're level 4 or higher, whichever you're most comfortable with, head inside the cave. After defeating the boss, you'll have to run and fight your way until you get out of the forest.
You are now in the Mist Continent
Final Fantasy 9 (IX) Disk 1 Mist Continent
Once you're in the Mist Continent follow the edge of the mountain going west. You'll see an arc. Go inside the arc and get your Potion and Eye Drops. Go back outside.
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Once outside follow the other side of the mountain going east of the map (right side of the arc entrance). You should see a forest. Right after the forest is the entrance to the Ice Cavern. Press (x) to enter.
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You are now in the Ice Cavern.
Final Fantasy 9 (IX) Disk 1 Ice Cavern
There are several items in the Ice Cavern where you'll need Vivi's help. Note: DO NOT pass through the blowing mist unless if you're looking for a battle. Once you have control of your character, get the Tent by going up and the left. Go down and you'll be back where you started. Now head up. You'll see a chest on the left. And a not so obvious stairs on the right. Head rightfirst and you'll see a dead end. Click on the wall to get Vivi's help. There's a chest with Ether. Now go to the road beside the stairs on the right. It'll loop you to the chest that you saw which has a Elixir.
Go up to the next screen and keep right. Cross the log first. You can open a chest with Potion after crossing the log. Cross the log again and click on it when you see "!". Vivi will melt the base of the log and the top will fall down. Cross the log again and get a Mage Masher. Now go up to the next screen.
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On the next screen, open the chest on the right for a Phoenix Down. Go left and you'll see a dead end. Click on the wall so Vivi can melt it down. Follow the path for a Leather Wrist. Go back out and head up to the next screen. There's going to be a fork in the road. Left road will bring you to a frozen Moogle. Have Vivi melt the ice and save your game. The right road will make you proceed further into the game.
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Once you're on the next screen, you will need to leave your team mates and battle a boss. Make sure that your HP is slightly above Potion healing, meaning current max HP - Potion. The boss(es) could knock you out if you're not careful.
After the battle, go back to your friends and head back to where you defeated the boss. Follow the path going up to exit the cave.
You are now in Dali
Final Fantasy 9 (IX) Disk 1 Dali
When you enter Dali, you'll stay at the inn. It'll replenish your HP and MP. When Zidane wakes up, there's an ATE of Vivi in the town. Inside the room you'll be able to pick up a Potion and an Antidote.
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Once Zidane heads out of the room, an ATE on Dagger (Garnet) will show. She's on the weapons store located in front of the inn. Talk to the Moogle (Gumo) for the Mognet twice and then save your game. Head outside and there'll be an ATE on the Innkeeper. Go inside the weapons store to talk to Dagger. Buy what you need to upgrade your characters. Outside the weapons store is 120 Gil. Head up the screen and enter the building with the windmill go to the back of the turning thing to get an Aries. Go outside and talk to Vivi.
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After you talk to Vivi there will be another ATE of the Innkeeper. Head back to the inn and talk to Dagger. There's going to be an ATE on Steiner. Dagger will then ask that the both of you look for Vivi. Go back to the building with the Windmill and click on the metal dome where the kid was sitting on before. Go down and pick up 156 Gil. Proceed up and there's going to be a short scene. After that, go inside the small hut and get a Potion. Outside the hut are Eye Drops.
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Follow the path to the next screen. Kick the wheel and a chest with a Potions drops. Go to the back of the barrel, ignore the Moogle (Kumop) for now, and jump up a couple of crates for an Ether. Go to the barrel, talk to Kumop for Mognet twice and save your game.
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Proceed to the next screen and get a Leather Helm, then hop on several crates for the Iron Helm. Go back down and head on to the next screen to free Vivi. Get the 95 Gil, Equip what you can, heal whoever needs healing and open the door where a mist is coming out. After you've defeated the mist monsters, loot Potion, Phoenix Down and Phoenix Pinion and exit this room. Go through the bridge on the right for some scenes.
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You'll now have control of Steiner. Talk to Morrid, then follow him downstairs. Pick up 135 Gil and H-Potion, go inside the Hut and talk to Morrid again and go out to see the cargo ship. There'll be a scene and you'll fight Black Waltz 2. You can steal Steeple Hat and Leather Plate.
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After defeating Black Waltz 2 you can opt to leave immediately or go back to the inn. I chose to go back to replenish my MP and HP. You can come back to the cargo ship by going to the garden patch on the road right of the windmill. After boarding the ship, there will be several scenes. Go up the ladder, and you'll talk to Steiner. Head inside the navigation room and Steiner will talk to himself. After that, you'll be fighting Black Waltz 3. When you defeat Black Waltz 3. You'll be in Lindblum.
