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Our Fuzzy Neighbors: Further Confusion 2016 (Part 1)

With one the largest most spectacular events Smash has ever seen taking place it might surprise many that right in the very same venue another Smash tournament was taking place. In many ways it is similar to any other tournament: the room is filled with friends being reunited after such long spans apart, the clicking of buttons pierces the air, and the venue is packed to capacity with people who love Smash. The real difference was the event took place at Further Confusion 2016, the furry convention right next door to Genesis 3.

At the last minute upon learning a Smash tournament was taking place at the event I reached out in hopes of attending and was surprised to not only get a response but was offered free entry into the event with a media badge. I not only entered the tournament myself but decided to take the opportunity to learn about something I had never seen before to try and see what I could bring back to Smash. Come and see all that I learned.

---



To say my welcome was anything less than the most warm one I have ever received would be criminal. I was met at the entrance by Bliz Fox, one of the many people that make FurCon so successful. He took me to get a badge, made sure the fee was waved, and then proceeded to give me a tour of the entire venue so I could know where everything would be.

He introduced me to top organizer at other conventions so I could ask questions about how the events worked all while explaining the furry culture so an outsider like me could understand. We passed by a photo shoot with at least fifty suits by the same maker and was told how most suits cost at least $2,000. I was surrounded by $100,000 of fursuits. The quality was impressive.

Everywhere I went every single staff member already knew my name and what I looked like before I managed to say a word, they really wanted to go out of their way to make sure it was an incredible experience. After our tour I was given free reign for reporting which I later learned is incredibly rare in the community. Most reporters are escorted, as many show up to events having been specifically paid to try and get footage that can be edited in a bad way or used for a biased reporting which hurts their community. I was honored to have that trust from my first time attending.

Smash 4 At Further Confusion 2016

ToaEnemis stands on a chair directing the crowd. This is second time working on Smash at FurCon. Last year he was co-host but now it's his time to shine all on his own. While many people had asked me if the tournament would be casual before I went in, I quickly found it was not. The only things different in the event were that Castle Siege and Delfino Plaza were legal (still not too uncommon at events) and that the event was single elimination due to time constraints.

Vespa26 and Reep, two volunteers for the event, are forced to turn away people at the door: the room is already packed to absolute full capacity. A few players are no shows and everyone groans at the thought of taking a free match . Nobody just wants to win, so I take one of the spots (replacing Lupo) and decide to enter the fray.

The first matches are already bringing on the hype. A last minute Bowser up-b takes out a Wii Fit trainer and everyone cheers. A Fox gimps a Lucas player then a spectator exclaims “YOUR MOMMA WOULD BE PROUD SON!” and the room erupts in laughter. In full suit Rithuld goes around entertaining players and volunteers alike.

Just as the players play under a professional ruleset some of them are very skilled. I managed to take a match but was eliminated by ParanoidPimp, a Pikachu main with agility skills to rival ESAM. In the end I take 17th place. With so many people and being a bit rusty it's a good performance. Plus it's hard to be mad losing to the player who eventually got 4th.

The matches continue and top 8 is set on a projector so everyone in the room can see. Lenoh, the man in charge of the game room, booms out the names of the final two competitors in an impressive fashion. Ben The Dragon vs Shikan grand finals. Two players who did incredibly well during the event, honestly being capable of breaking round one pools in Genesis 3 here at its next door event fighting for first prize.

The first match is on Smashville, some things just never change. It's a Saturday night and KK Slider plays, a fun coincidence everyone points out from the crowd. Shikan's Greninja manages to take game one but Ben The Dragon brings it back just as quickly changing to Bowser and using his newfound throw combos to take the next match. Shikan being knowledgable on many characters makes a switch to Duck Hunt which proves to be just the right counterpick for another win.

With the Bowser proven to have issues Ben The Dragon pulls out his last hope: Yoshi. Shikan yet again makes a change switching to Fox and the match to determine Ben The Dragon's tournament life begins. While he tries his hardest it was Shikan's day to shine, and in the end he would be the Further Confusion 2016 Smash 4 Champion.

The Night: Further Confusion 2016

This wasn't the end of my adventures at the convention however. With a full day pass for Saturday it seemed silly not to use it to attend some panels and enjoy some of the events. I was able to talk to fiction writers and pull some heartstrings at karaoke singing Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt. Everyone continued to be incredibly friendly, and then on Twitter I was offered a chance to have the full "furry experience" by Toby and for the sake of reporting (who am I kidding, I was curious and it sounded fun) I decided to head over for a party and a chance to try on a fursuit.

Thanks to Tav I was able to try on a partial suit which I learned included feet, sleeves, paws, tail, and a head which was all worn with regular clothing. The suit was old but trusted and true and was surprisingly comfortable. The head even had the ability to let me open my jaw if I was clever. It wasn't easy to see and talk at first but I was able to get the hang of it and soon found myself headed towards the dance party they hold every night.

There was a problem fetching the tweet
Hint: I'm In The White Shirt

Other than the amazing dance (which was incredible to say the least) I got to learn how to use a straw and get drinks while in a suit (very difficult) and learn the general ethics and etiquette that goes along with fursuiting. It's a good thing I was a quick study, there really was a lot to learn.

It really is hot in suits and I was only in a partial, I can't image some of the full suits I saw walking around so I was shown the room that was a safe haven for those in suits where they could take off their heads without ruining the magic for others and cool down. The place was set up brilliantly with lots of fans and a special homemade device used to cool off the fursuit heads. I met with many other people in suits and was amazed at the modifications I saw from led lights hidden with fur to full electronic muzzles capable of moving quite realistically.

Unfortunately the party cannot last forever. I had Genesis 3 top 8 to cover the next day and the others had to prepare for their own final day of festivities so we headed back to the room, I removed my suit, and headed back to regale friends with the stories of the night.

---​

Many Smashers, me included, went to Genesis 3 knowing that the FurCon would be taking place next door and all came in with expectations, biases, and stereotypes, but almost every Smasher I talked to had them broken just as I had. It is hard to meet kinder people and seeing how open they were to show the outside world just how great they are to just one member of the Smash community was awesome.

I learned a valuable lesson: it is smart to expand your horizons and not judge others for what they enjoy. No matter what, there are always commonalities that bind us. In this case it was Smash but for other times it may be something else.

There are many things we could learn from our furry neighbors next to Genesis 3 and one of those things was how to better our own events. Did you meet new fluffy friends at the event? Surprised to see a Smash reporter in the suit? Leave a comment below and stay tuned for part two here we'll talk on what Further Confusion 2016 taught me on how to better run Smash events!
 

Comments

And I don't have to respect you either, but I will because you are sentient human being and you are capable of emotion. It's also very rude if you don't give someone the respect. Furries are people too.
You don't have to respect me I've done nothing for you, I don't want to see articles about furries on a smash website, I have friends who are furries but I don't care one bit about their weird fandom.
 
Did.. did that really happen? That guy who always seems to be just causing trouble and trash-posting was finally called out? Wow.. uh, okay.

Anyway, I enjoyed the article, sounds like you had a lot of fun SmashCapps. Always interesting to see two communities come together socially.

Personally I find fur suits slightly discomforting to be around, and I'm not in the fandom myself, I would call them weird but all it takes is to remember my absolute obsession with Conan and retro video games and I recall I'm far and away the weird one here. Haha. I can't judge someone simply doing what they love, and being who they are: I myself know the feeling all too well.

Kudos to both communities.
lol I hardly ever post on this website.
 
I for one am against furries in that I am not fond of being one and if you want to be one go ahead I would just prefer that no weird stereotypes happen cause those are bad in every sense of the word, but, I find it great that a community can be as happy as they are now if only the Smash community would be rid of all kinds of toxic people, Sm4sh and Melee, alike. I think this community could really learn a lot from them.

That is just my opinion and I hope it is a fine one
 
Dust the Baptist Dust the Baptist

I meant Dylan. I really feel uncomfortable talking badly of someone online, and always try to either avoid arguments or at least be peaceful to everyone, but, just to state the facts, he's repeatedly made comments with no content in them but to aggravate and demean others, including attacking the smash 4 community and generally being rude to the Smashboards staff and members on purpose. I can't say I'm upset that someone who acts that way frequently was confronted on the issue.

I think that kind of behavior is much worse than anything another fandom can negatively bring to the smash community, and I believe we should all be trying to get along in a peaceful and respectful manner, but that's just my opinion. ^_^
 
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Dust the Baptist Dust the Baptist

I meant Dylan. I really feel uncomfortable talking badly of someone online, and always try to either avoid arguments or at least be peaceful to everyone, but, just to state the facts, he's repeatedly made comments with no content in them but to aggravate and demean others, including attacking the smash 4 community and generally being rude to the Smashboards staff and members on purpose. I can't say I'm upset that someone who acts that way frequently was confronted on the issue.

I think that kind of behavior is much worse than anything another fandom can negatively bring to the smash community, and I believe we should all be trying to get along in a peaceful and respectful manner, but that's just my opinion. ^_^
Edit: I misread this and would like a mod to delete my post.
 
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Dust the Baptist Dust the Baptist

I meant Dylan. I really feel uncomfortable talking badly of someone online, and always try to either avoid arguments or at least be peaceful to everyone, but, just to state the facts, he's repeatedly made comments with no content in them but to aggravate and demean others, including attacking the smash 4 community and generally being rude to the Smashboards staff and members on purpose. I can't say I'm upset that someone who acts that way frequently was confronted on the issue.

I think that kind of behavior is much worse than anything another fandom can negatively bring to the smash community, and I believe we should all be trying to get along in a peaceful and respectful manner, but that's just my opinion. ^_^
TFW you miss read something
 
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I love sm4sh tho what are you talking about this is the first time I've posted in months. I've never insulted anyone in the past and if I have said something mean it was a friendly jab. All i'm trying to say about this thread is I don't think their should be a post about furries on a smash website.
And I think tr4sh is a piece of **** game.

But that's just my opinion. :smirk:

The point is who cares. lmao
Whoops miss read that my b sorry I lashed out on you VPT
LOL
 
Oh, are you Dylan? I'm sorry, I didn't know.

I was referring to your several complaints against written articles being on the front page, not individually belittling staff members. I consider that 'generally rude', as I said. A quick google search on you isn't pretty.. You constantly hate on Smash 4, and overall I feel that kind of outlook isn't a good thing for the smash community. I meant no offense or personal attack on you, however we all know how you usually take things..

I'd rather not argue with you, but if it's very important to you we can discuss it privately. You'll find me to not be very argumentative, however. I'm done discussing it here.
I'm not Dylan I love Sm4sh It's late and I misread your comment. my b
 
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Hey now! This is really awesome. It's cool to know that both of these impassioned communities can mingle. Makes me happy, as an observer and experimentalist in both communities.

I think that I recall a time when the Smash community had a laughing gag about furries, which was probably salty tears over Lucario taking it over Mewtwo in Brawl. Tell me smashers, do you want us to return to our Brawl ways? Haha, joking aside, I wonder if there was any recording of this event's top 8 or anything.
 
If you give any animal boobs does that make it a furry?
....
I mean..... I guess you could *technically* say that would make it an anthro, so it would be 'furry'..... But that WOULD be an example of where its basically just on technicality.

Eh. To each their own but really isn't my thing with all the you know what that looms around it.
Honestly I love these kinds of people 'Okay yeah whatever but we all know they are into ____! But Im not gonna say what ___ is we just all know it!'
Maybe enlighten us? You could be referring to a lot of potential things here.

furries creep the hell out of me....
ok but seriously....i don't get the fursuits, i can understand the drawings, animation and stuff like that...but...the full blown fur suits?
Its really no different than drawings. Also, just for a comparison- People have fursuits of Fox / Falco, sports teams, dress up as werewolves and other anthros / plain animals (I.E. Cats) for Halloween.

Same concept, just generally with an original character.

I don't understand the drawings and animations. Really the only thing anthropomorphic animals should be for is comedy. Which many cartoons do well.
You are a Smasher.
There are characters from Starfox that are literally anthro animals with lazer guns.
How do you even come to this conclusion that it can only be

I realize that most furries aren't in it for the sexual thrills, but a good chunk of them are and I really wish they'd just keep it contained to their bedrooms. Seeing people parade around what's essentially a fetish with a large fandom growing around it is cringe worthy to say the least.
I'm very open about a lot of things, but I can't honestly say furries don't creep me out on at least some level. If that makes me bigoted, I'll deal with that.
Very fair comment, something I can agree with- But even if we are to follow this, what about 'normies' who talk about how thicc that one girl was or how much they wanted to smash ____, etc. So... fair concern but also generally a double standard POV.

That and generally speaking NSFW kind of stuff is kept on the down-low, you can blame traditional media (which just a few years ago would suggest all smashers are basement dwelling nerds who attend Star Trek conventions). As far as I know, most NSFW websites are relatively isolated, and are directed at a specific furry audience. Even on more public platforms (Deviantart, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.) that aren't exclusively 'furry', the community on its own is pretty isolated- You would be relatively unlucky to just randomly bump into a piece of furry art online if you werent looking for it, let alone a NSFW piece of art.

As for conventions / walking around in a sexual fetish...? Im not entirely sure I get what you are going for here outside of indirectly accusing all fursuiters of having a fursuit and going around in it to meet with other people for sexual pleasure...? The article even covers (not all furries being in it for any sexual reason), and even if we are to assume so- Again, this is an isolated convention.

Let's be real here. By the very nature of this entire culture, and practically by definition, IT'S WEIRD.
I mean good lord, IMO, I like my own human body, idk why you'd need to find comfort in a (non)fictional creature.

Then again, I have a subconscious fear of being near a costumed person who's dressed as something not human, which probably carried over from when I was a kid.

Other than that, it's good that this con-sharing experience went without a hitch. We got some good 20XX jokes out of it, which is a plus.
Ever seen people dress up for Halloween for fun? Same concept.

Furries are weird and cringey why the **** is there an article about furries on smashboards. To each their own though, they can do what they want but that doesn't mean I have to like it or accept them.
... You actually answered your own question (albeit a rhetorical one)... Good job? Also isnt dedicating dozens to THOUSANDS of hours to get better at a party game from 2001 just WEIRD?

I don't have to respect you.
I feel like people mix up respect for somebody as an authority / 'elevated' figure and basic respect for somebody as a human being, and they think because they don't agree with something or they arent being treated like an authoritarian figure they dont have to give the basic respect of being a human being.



Obviously I was late to this article, hadn't heard about it until like a week ago, and had to check it out.
 
In the distant future where video games have become obcelete due to newly invented tech passtimes.
A group of otherkin furries revolt against what humanity has become and take out their VR cyber chips and escape to an ancient wasteland which used to host the human race... Earth.
Cities are in ruin, overgrown in plantlife. A lone pack of furries with fox fursonas discover an ancient relic of the past... They pickup the gamecube controller and set the game to 4 stock.

The year is 20XX...
 
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