What is the uncanny valley?
i have heard of it but when i ask about it no one says or knows anything about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTAJBQSm10&feature=channel_page

Check that video. It's funny and educational!
Check his other stuff too if you have the time/patience.

Its a mostly hypothetical scenario in which the closer something appears to be human, the greater the mind can pick out flaws in it, which causes us to distrust it or be unsettled by it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

Welcome to the Escapist. See you around.

Edit: Man, I was, like, triple Ninja'd.

It mainly refers to the real-world creation of lifelike, humanoid machines. It suggest that the more "human" a machine looks, the more its inhuman traits will be noticeable. As a result, the machine becomes borderline disturbing. That's just a terribly brief summary of it, off the top of my head.

For example, think of the characters in Oblivion or Fallout 3. They look human, but their movements and deadpan faces become disconcerting as a result.

oh thanks!

Indigo_Dingo:
Its a valley that bears an almost unbelievable resemblance to another one.

You mean so much so that it's almost... uncanny?

ZeroMachine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTAJBQSm10&feature=channel_page

Check that video. It's funny and educational!
Check his other stuff too if you have the time/patience.

Science and Graphic Whores thank you.

wow short forum

Anarchemitis:

ZeroMachine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTAJBQSm10&feature=channel_page

Check that video. It's funny and educational!
Check his other stuff too if you have the time/patience.

Science and Graphic Whores thank you.

You're welcome! Where's my pizza?

ZeroMachine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTAJBQSm10&feature=channel_page

Check that video. It's funny and educational!
Check his other stuff too if you have the time/patience.

This guy's videos are amazing, thanks for the heads up!

implodingMan:
Its a mostly hypothetical scenario in which the closer something appears to be human, the greater the mind can pick out flaws in it, which causes us to distrust it or be unsettled by it.

And this hyop-whatsit is in a vally?

Seriously though I'm glad I now know what that name means, and have a name for that theory.

The best example, movie wise, is probably The Polar Express. Creepy CGI zombie Ton Hanks.

ZeroMachine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTAJBQSm10&feature=channel_page

Check that video. It's funny and educational!
Check his other stuff too if you have the time/patience.

This guy is awesome. I've just watched a few of his videos on Youtube and I can't help but hope someone snatches him up like Escapist bumped up Yahtzee...

BiscuitWheels:
The best example, movie wise, is probably The Polar Express. Creepy CGI zombie Ton Hanks.

Actually, the best example is based on a video game. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was widely panned by critics because of the closeness (apparently) to the Uncanny Valley of the CGI graphics used for the characters. I couldn't see anything wrong myself, but critics said although story and character development was good and the film could have been a success, characters were too far in the Uncanny Valley for the film to be worth seeing.