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Garden Square

Welcome to the guestbook for Balamb Garden, my Final Fantasy VIII website!

'This isn't a guestbook; it's a blog post.' Technically, yes! I had trouble finding a guestbook option that didn't include adverts, so, in the interest of keeping my website advertisement-free, I decided to go with a Dreamwidth post. You don't need an account to leave a comment, so this is an easy way to get in touch with me.

Leave your comment below, and then you can head back to the entrance hall.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

it's you!

Immediately after making this post, I noticed that I had IP logging for anonymous comments turned on and went 'whoops, that's a little too Disciplinary Committee.' (For the benefit of anyone wondering, I've turned it off now!)

https://www.123guestbook.com/

I'm certain that one has no ads and it's free-- but double check behind me; my adblock protocol is pretty aggressive. But if it's kosher, that is an option!

Oh, thank you for the recommendation! Looks like you have to pay to make it ad-free, alas. Now that I've set up this post, though, I sort of like it as a solution; it's not perfect, but it works!

Also it brings more people to Dreamwidth. :3

visits just to vault over the barrier

Given the number of people who've told me they vaulted the barrier, you'd think Garden would have done something about the clear security problems by now.

i love your site so much :D anything ffviii related is dope as hell!

Thank you so much; this made me smile! I adore this game, and I'm always happy to see other people who love it too.

Loved the website! You seem like an honest and open person which is rare on the internet these days.

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm really glad you enjoyed the site.

I don't know, I don't have anything profound to say. The idea you brought up about the web being something different before, and calling back to that time when it felt more personal... even if that might have just been because we were all younger and more emotionally engaged, or because it was more about learning to express something than curating your expression to reach a target audience. In any case, your site and your approach here really resonated with me, and took me back to when I was discovering FF8, and I just wanted to say thanks.

This is such a lovely message! Thank you so much; this really touched me. I'm glad you enjoyed the site! ♥

I've had a copy of Final Fantasy VIII sitting around for a while now and only just got around to giving it an earnest shot. Just by coincidence, one of my brothers ended up introducing me to wiby.me and all of the weird doors that can open up. Between VIII's vibrant turn-of-the-millennium aesthetic and my recent Internet deep dive, I've come to reacquire a strong affection for the "old web," a place that I was only briefly able to dip my toes into as a kid. Sites like this are, to me, an ideal usage of the World Wide Web - providing a portal into somebody else's thoughts and feelings where you can explore their passions for a while.

I started disc 2 last night and I plan to jump back in as soon as I get home from work. Thank you for your earnest and heartfelt expression of love for this equally honest little game.

Thank you so much for your kind words! (And thanks for the link to Wiby; I'll have to poke around!) I hope you have a great time playing the rest of Final Fantasy VIII, and I'm delighted that you enjoyed the site.

FF8 is my fav game of all time and seeing your site made me smile!!! I added it to my links page on neocities as well (since I have my own page there, ahhh and I wanna work on it more!).

Much love, hope many hot dogs come your way soon,
Lilly (mothcub on neocities btw you can find me if you so desire)
xoxo

I love your website! I just had a quick poke around, as I've only got access to my phone at the moment - I'll have to take a better look when I'm back at my laptop - but everything I've seen is absolutely delightful. I love your illustrations; 'Sonic I love you' in particular is a masterpiece.

Thank you so much for linking to me; I'm honoured! I'm glad you enjoyed the website. ♥!

Edited 2024-12-04 14:49 (UTC)

I played Final Fantasy VIII when it first came out, so I was about 9 or 10 years old. I don't quite remember if I had a used or borrowed copy, but I was never able to get past the part where Galbadia is invading Balamb garden. It would freeze on the FMV of the soldiers using jet packs or whatever and for SO many years I didn't continue forward. I don't know why I didn't ask for a new copy but anywho..just last week I FINALLY completed the game on the steam version and I was so emotionally impacted by the ending FMV. The part where Laguna put the ring on Raines finger made me want to cry. It was so surreal to have finally completed the game when I wasn't able to in my childhood. Anyway..I'm just happy to have run into someone who is so passionate about FFVIII as I am.. although not as much as you Riona, seeing as you made that amazing website, great work.

Congratulations on finishing the game at last! (It took me years to finish it myself, although in my case it was because I was so bad at junctioning that I couldn't get past the Adel fight on my first playthrough.) There really is something special about that ending FMV. All the FMVs in Final Fantasy VIII are stunning, in fact; there's some really effective silent storytelling there.

Thank you so much for your kind words, too! I'm glad you enjoyed the website.

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Peep Show really feels like it's personally bullying me sometimes. I don't want to see myself in this mirror! It's not a flattering mirror!

I'm really touched that you're following the site! I'm also touched by all the comments I've received here, actually. I really thought this would be an exercise in pouring my thoughts into the void, but apparently people still have space in their hearts for a personal website about a twenty-five-year-old videogame. I hope that can also be heartening for you, as a fellow person doggedly flying the flag for an older Final Fantasy game.

I really enjoyed exploring! It brought me back to when the internet felt more genuine and made me very nostalgic for FFVIII.

Thank you so much! I've had a great time working on this site, and I'm delighted whenever anyone enjoys the result.

Hello! I love your Balamb Garden (FF8 fansite)!

I'm glad you like it! Thank you so much.

Hi! Nice job!

Thank you! ♥

Hey this is a cool site! ive never played ffviii but yeah i like the way you present it as a place to explore.

Thank you so much! I'm glad you could enjoy exploring even if you haven't played the game.

they are so dang cool i love seifer's coat and zell is so cool with his coolness and squall is such a shy bean

The shyest bean! They're such great characters.

I started by heading East and chuckling to myself about how I'd got stuck in all those places, too - especially the Adel fight!

Oh, and I want to give you a HUGE thumbs up for knowing that it's 'rite' of passage not 'right' :)

I'm glad to have company in all the silly ways I got stuck in this game! My first playthrough was an absolute disaster, but at least I had a good time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Garden Square

"See? They're so nosy."

it's you!

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But seriously...

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Very fun and well made

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Thank you for making this.

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I appreciate you

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FFVIII

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Thank you!

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Just a FF8 fan

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Laki

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