Quote Originally Posted by Sir Bahamut

Unfortunately, I have no alternate explanations for why she couldn't cast it in her own time. I guess a plot device is the practical answer (if she could cast it at her own time all of time would be compressed soon after starting the game!), but I doubt Square actually thought of a logical reason. After all, all the Tutorial says is that it is a mystery...nice going Square :rolleyes2
Perhaps the casting of Time Compression has some sort of requirement to be fulfilled that can be only done so by being in the past? Maybe it's more of a ritualistic type of magic, instead of the magic that appears out of thin air like fire and ice? For instance, think of a pentagram that some modern day witches use to cast their spells, they believe it necessary to cast that spell...perhaps one's conciousness must be so far back in time from one's physical self in order to cast the spell? There is no basis, I know, but that's the way I've always seen it.

Also, about the whole physical mark that TC leaves on the past, present and future, it doesn't leave one period. The game says that time is set in stone and unchangeable so this means that TC has already left it's mark on the past because it's happening was inevitable due to time being 100% planned out already, but because TC has left it's mark on the past already the people of FF8's past don't notice because that's what time is normally like for them. I'm explaining this a little unclearly but hopefully you understand.

Quote Originally Posted by Future Esthar
Ok,will not interfere on this thread.But three words:
Lunatic Pandora+Time travel+Holographic illusions proggramed to appear on the walls.
I'm not even going to ask what this means, because I'll end up getting frusterated with you...but I have to point out that that is actually 12 words, not 3.