There is a game, called telephone (among other things), that is often played in youth groups or corporate team-building retreats, to teach the importance of clear communication, warn against the dangers of gossip, demonstrate how easily information is corrupted, etc. Everyone sits in a circle and then one person is given a phrase. They whisper that phrase to the person to their left. That person then turns and whispers what they heard to the next person. This continues until the phrase has been passed all the way around the circle. Invariably, when the last person is asked what they heard, it differs from the original phrase—sometimes drastically so. There is even a commercial version of the game where one person draws an image, then the next person writes a caption for the image, then the next person draws a picture to match the caption, etc. Even when all of the participants earnestly try to pass along the correct message, the message gets garbled. But not everyone plays in earnest. Some people deliberately alter the message because they know or have figured out what is going on.
I previously shared the results of several games of telephone run through a text-to-image generator and an image-to-text generator (see The Telephone Game I). I ran the game again with the same 21 starting images but this time I had the image-to-prompt generator try to generate a negative prompt each time I used it. In other words, the image-to-prompt generator wrote a prompt that was as opposite as possible from the image. As before, each game had 20 image generations and 20 prompt generations. I accepted the first result for each generation. At the end I used a caption generator to report what the final phrase was.
I anticipated three possible behaviors. They all depend on whether there are distinguishable patterns between odd generations and even generations.
First, that there would be stable oscillations between the odd generations and the even generations. The second generation would be very different from the first generation, but then the third generation would be similar to the first generation and very different from the second generation. In this first scenario the oscillations are stable for the duration of the game.
The second possibility is that there would be clear oscillations between odd and even generations, but the oscillations would drift over the course of the game. For example, the first, third, and fifth generations all might be similar, and the fifth, seventh, and ninth generations might be similar, but the first and third generations would be different from the seventh and ninth generations. This might happen if a new element was introduced by one of the generators that then quickly rose to prominence. In this scenario, we might even see certain aspects flip from the odds to the evens (or vice versa) partway through the game.
The third possibility is that there will be no human-distinguishable pattern between the odd and even generations. Generating a negative prompt with a complex dataset is not forthright. If I arranged 20 images in a circle (two-dimensional), it would be easy to say which images are opposites of each other. If I arranged 100 images into a sphere (three-dimensional), it would still be relatively easy to say which images are opposites of each other. But Stable Diffusion has built a model based on a training dataset (LAION 5B) of nearly 6 billion captioned images organized into an unknown number of dimensions. With that kind of a model, there might be no way to discern why Stable Diffusion thinks two images are opposites of each other.
After each game, I will share the patterns (or lack thereof) that I noticed for the odd generations and for the even generations. I will present the odd generations and even generations separately, with the odds first. If you would like to see them all together and in order, take a look at The Telephone Game IIA. Since there are ten odd generations and ten even generations for each game, I will present my observations using filled and empty squares. A filled square (■) will mean that the observed trait was present in that generation; an empty square (□) will mean that the observed trait was absent in that generation. So if we're looking at the odd generations, ■■■■□□□□■□ would mean that the trait is present in generations 1, 3, 5, 7, and 17. If we're looking at the even generations, then ■■■■□□□□■□ would mean that the trait is present in generations 2, 4, 6, 8, and 18.
I'll leave it up to you to decide whether these count as oscillations, oscillations with drift, or no distinguishable pattern.
Antirandom 1
Initial prompt: a unicorn conjuring a demon, Flower of Life, Metalwave, Tidewave, Knightcore, Neoclassicism, Vast, Elder Scrolls, headshot portrait, pin up portrait, Product view, Action-packed lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■□■■■ — color scheme: pink/red
• ■■■□■■■■■■ — subject: human • □■■■■■■■■■ — style: painting
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■□□■■■ — style: photorealistic
• □■■□□□□□□□ — subject: vehicle
• □□■■■□■□□□ — subject: animal
• □□□□■■■□□□ — color scheme: grayscale
• □□□□□□□■■■ — subject: two humans
Final caption: A woman and man holding sandwiches in an image of the 1960s.
Antirandom 2
Initial prompt: a fantasy character riding a cow, Chakra, Fractal Environment, Fantasywave, Raintide, Dieselpunk, Hikecore, Futuristic, Fire Emblem, Mario 64, Miniatures game cover art, Wallpaper cover art, full body portrait, studio portrait, Product view, Method Studios, outstanding detail, greatly detailed, photorealism, astonishingly real, Cinematic lighting, Romantic lighting
Odds Observations:
• □■■■■■■□□□ — style: drawing/cartoon
• □■■■■□■■□■ — color scheme: drab
• □□□□□□□■■■ — style: photorealistic
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■□□■■■ — subject: female
• ■■■■■■□□□□ — style: photorealistic
• □■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: vibrant
• □□□□□□■■■■ — style: drawing/cartoon
Final caption: A rose has the leaves on it while two oranges are in its mouth.
Antirandom 3
Initial prompt: a rat swallowing a planet, Divine, Soul, Discowave, Oceanpunk, Mottled, Unreal Engine 5, DreamWorks, rigorous detail, incredibly real, Intimate lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: polychrome
• □□■■■□■□□□ — subject: ocean
• □□□□■■■■■■ — subject: female
• □□□□□□□■■■ — style: photorealistic
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■□□ — color scheme: (mostly) monochrome
• ■■■■□□□■■□ — style: drawing
• □□□□■■■□□□ —style: photorealistic
Final caption: An officer riding a horse in a military dress, riding a saddle through a lush woodland.
Antirandom 4
Initial prompt: conjuring a demon, Flower of Life, Metalwave, Tidewave, Knightcore, Neoclassicism, Vast, Elder Scrolls, headshot portrait, pin up portrait, Product view, Action-packed lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■□■■■■■■ — subject: female
• ■■■■□□□□□□ — style: cartoon/drawing • □□□□■■■■■■ — style: photorealistic
• □□□■□■■■■■ — subject: head covering
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■□□□□■□ — style: photorealistic
• □■■■■■■□□□ — subject: locations
• □□□□■■■■□■ — style: cartoon/drawingFinal caption: Two girls standing next to each other near some flowers near a beach in a room.
Antirandom 5
Initial prompt: Cyber Noir, Biocybernetics, Neuro mechanical, darkside of machinery, Mandelbulb, Stonepunk, Splatterpunk, Hackercore, Carnivalcore, Vintage, Twilight, modern warfare, World of Warcraft, close up portrait, full length portrait, Visual Concepts, outstanding detail, 4k, looks extremely real, purely real, Spiritual lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■□□□□□□□ — subject: futuristic
• □□□■■■□□□□ — subject: ocean
• □□□□■■■■■□ — style: cartoon/drawing
Evens Observations:
• ■■□□□□□□□□ — style: watercolor
• □□■■■□□□□□ — color scheme: monochrome
• □□■■■■■□□□ — subject: human
• □□□□□□■■■■ — color scheme: pink
Final caption: A backpack sits on a bench in a room.
Antirandom 6.1
Initial prompt: mechanized, Kaleidoscope, Newton-Fractal, Vaporwave, Wavecave, Sleepycore, Errorcore, Marvelous, Noir, Mario Odyssey, Book cover art, Card game cover art, 300mm Lens, 600mm Lens, Blue Sky, Territory Studio, beyond real, incredibly real, Comedic lighting, Mystical lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■□□□■ — color scheme: polychrome
• □□■■■□□□□□ — subject: female
• □□□□□□■■■□ — color scheme: monochrome
Evens Observations:
• ■■■□□□■■■■ — subject: human(s)
• ■■■■■□□□□□ — color scheme: monochrome
• □□□□□■■■□□ — subject: circle in background
• □□□□□■■■■■ — color scheme: polychrome
Final caption: Art print of a young woman on a beautiful floral blanket and flowers.
Antirandom 6.2
Initial prompt: mechanized, Kaleidoscope, Newton-Fractal, Vaporwave, Wavecave, Sleepycore, Errorcore, Marvelous, Noir, Mario Odyssey, Book cover art, Card game cover art, 300mm Lens, 600mm Lens, Blue Sky, Territory Studio, beyond real, incredibly real, Comedic lighting, Mystical lighting
Odds Observations:
• □■■■■□□□□□ — subject: wings
• □□■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: (mostly) monochrome
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: polychrome
• ■□□■■■■■■■ — subject: female
• □■■■■■■■■■ — style: photorealistic • □■■■□□□□□□ — subject: toy
• □□□□□■■■■■ — style: bokeh
Final caption: A woman with pink hair and green eyes standing by a wall with a red carousel.
Antirandom 7.1
Initial prompt: Divine, Soul, Discowave, Oceanpunk, Mottled, Unreal Engine 5, DreamWorks, rigorous detail, incredibly real, Intimate lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■□ — color scheme: vibrant colors
• ■■■□□□□□□□ — color scheme: blue and pink
• □□□■■□□□□□ — subject: vehicle
• □□□□■■■■■□ — subject: human
• □□□□□■■■□□ — subject: weapon
• □□□□□□■■■□ — subject: spiky hair
Evens Observations:
• ■□■■□■■■■■ — subject: human
• ■■□□□□□□□□ — subject: apples
• ■■■■■■■■□□ — color scheme: muted colors
• □□□□■■□□□□ — subject: ocean
• □□□□■■□□□□ — subject: ocean
Final caption: An Asian woman sitting at a bar with a drink.
Antirandom 7.2
Initial prompt: Divine, Soul, Discowave, Oceanpunk, Mottled, Unreal Engine 5, DreamWorks, rigorous detail, incredibly real, Intimate lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■□□□■■ —subject: female
• □■■■■■□□■■ — style: photorealistic
• □□□□□■■■□□ — color scheme: white, yellow, brown
• □□□□□□□□■■ — subject: flowing dress
Evens Observations:
• ■□■■■□□□■■ — style: cartoon/drawing
• ■■■■■□□□□□ — color scheme: muted colors
• □□■□□□□□□■ — subject: Joe Biden • □□□□□■■■□□ — style: photorealistic
• □□□□□□■■□□ — color scheme: pink and blue
Final caption: A man with a smiling and laughing face on a red poster.
Antirandom 8
Initial prompt: Neuro mechanical, darkside of machinery, Solarwave, Starwave, Steampunk, Stylized, Witcher, Role-playing game cover art, anime cover art, posed shot portrait, 500mm Lens, drone view, ultra realistic, Realistic lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■□□■■■■□□ — subject: female
• □□□■■□□□□□ — style: watercolor
• □□□□□■■■■■ — style: photorealistic
• □□□□□■■■■■ — color scheme: muted colors
• □□□□□□□□■■ — subject: male
Evens Observations:
• ■■□□□□□□□□ — subject: animals
• ■■■■■□□□□□ — color scheme: (mostly) monochrome
• □□□□□■■■□□ — style: cartoon/drawing • □□□□□□□■■■ — color scheme: faded red, yellow, green, and blue
• □□□□□□□□■■ — subject: females
Final caption: A couple of cats sitting together on the cover of a book.
Antirandom 9
Initial prompt: Cell Noise, Fractal Environment, Cyberwave, Decopunk, Clockpunk, Memecore, Prism, Witcher, BeamNG.drive, Magazine cover, Television show cover art, Ground-Shot Angle, Medium-Shot Angle, V-Ray, excessive detail, incredibly real, hyperrealistic, Expressionistic lighting, Realistic lighting
Odds Observations:
• □■■■■■■■■■ — style: photorealistic
• □■■□□□□□□□ — subject: yelling
• □□□■■■■□□□ — color scheme: blue and metallic
• □□□□■■■■■■ — subject: female
• □□□□□■□■■■ — style: shallow depth of field
• □□□□□□□■■□ — subject: kimono
• □□□□□□□■■■ — color scheme: red and pink
Evens Observations:
• □□■■■■□□□□ — style: watercolor
• ■■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: white/off white background
• ■■□□□□■■■■ — style: cartoon/drawing
• ■■■□□□□□□□ — subject: girls• □□■■■■□□□□ — style: watercolor
• □□□■■□■■□□ — subject: animals/creatures
• □□□□□□□□■■ — subject: vehicles
Final caption: A row of air-defense jets alongside a building with planes painted blue.
Antirandom 10
Initial prompt: a werewolf falling down a hole, Neurocybernetics, Spacewave, Stimwave, Decopunk, Atompunk, Gorecore, Cleancore, Interstellar, Lucid, Rainbow Six, Webcomic cover art, Television show cover art, candid shot portrait, full length portrait, Rear view, Fish-eye, The Foundry VFX, Animal Logic, amazingly real, entirely real
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■□□ — color scheme: muted colors
• ■■■■■□■■□□ — style: cartoon/drawing
• ■■□□□□□□□□ — subject: muscles
• ■■■□■□□□□□ — subject: animals • □□□□■■■■□□ — subject: flowers
• □□□□□■■■□□ — subject: female • □□□□□□■■■□ — color scheme: red
• □□□□□□□□■■ — subject: plants
Evens Observations:
• ■□□□□□□□■■ — color scheme: monochrome
• ■■■□□□□□□□ — subject: female
• □■■■■■■■□□ — color scheme: polychrome • □□□□□□■■□□ — color scheme: green and yellow
• □□□□□□□□■■ — subject: weapon
Final caption: A man preparing a Chinese meal in front of a black and white photo of a restaurant.
Antirandom 11
Initial prompt: werewolf, Neurocybernetics, Spacewave, Stimwave, Decopunk, Atompunk, Gorecore, Cleancore, Interstellar, Lucid, Rainbow Six, Webcomic cover art, Television show cover art, candid shot portrait, full length portrait, Rear view, Fish-eye, The Foundry VFX, Animal Logic, amazingly real, entirely real
Odds Observations:
• ■■□□□■■■■■ — color scheme: polychrome
• □□■■■□□□□□ — color scheme: monochrome
• □□□■■■■□□■ — subject: female
• □□□□■■■□□□ — subject: flowers
• □□□□□□□■■□ — subject: water
• □□□□□□□□■■ — color scheme: orange and blue
Evens Observations:
• ■■□□□□□□□□ — subject: female
• □□□■■□□□□□ — subject: boy
• □■■■■■□□■□ — style: cartoon/drawing
• □□□■■□□□□□ — color scheme: orange, yellow, green, and blue• □□□■■□□□□□ — subject: boy
• □□□□□■■■■■ — color scheme: (mostly) monochrome
Final caption: A beagle dog sitting on a small piece of wood near to a green grass.
Antirandom 12
Initial prompt: Neurocybernetics, Spacewave, Stimwave, Decopunk, Atompunk, Gorecore, Cleancore, Interstellar, Lucid, Rainbow Six, Webcomic cover art, Television show cover art, candid shot portrait, full length portrait, Rear view, Fish-eye, The Foundry VFX, Animal Logic, amazingly real, entirely real
Odds Observations:
• ■■■□□□□□□□ — color scheme: orange
• □■■■□□□□□□ — subject: aquatic creatures
• □□■■■□□□□□ — style: cartoon/drawing
• □□□□■■■■□■ — subject: power pose
Evens Observations:
• ■■□□□□□□□□ — subject: plants with white flowers
• ■■■■■□□□□□ — style: photorealistic
• □■■■■■■■□□ — subject: female(s) • □□□□□■■■□■ — style: cartoon/drawing
• □□□□□□□□■■ — color scheme: red and green
Final caption: A rug that has flowers arranged in a circle.
Antirandom 13
Initial prompt: Chakra, Fractal Environment, Fantasywave, Raintide, Dieselpunk, Hikecore, Futuristic, Fire Emblem, Mario 64, Miniatures game cover art, Wallpaper cover art, full body portrait, studio portrait, Product view, Method Studios, outstanding detail, greatly detailed, photorealism, astonishingly real, Cinematic lighting, Romantic lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■□ — color scheme: polychrome
• ■■■■■■□□□□ — subject: glow
• □□■□□■■■■■ — subject: human
• □□■□□□□■□□ — subject: politician
• □□□□□□■■□□ — style: bokeh
• □□□□□□■■■■ — subject: leather jacket
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■□ — color scheme: muted colors
• ■■■■□□□□□□ — subject: human(s)
• □□□■□□□□□□ — subject: politician
• □□□□■□■□□□ — subject: animal
• □□□□□■□■■■ — subject: locations
• □□□□□□□■■■ — subject: water
Final caption: A window opens up to a view of the ocean and a small table in a room.
Antirandom 14
Initial prompt: Neurocybernetics, mechanical pistons and parts, mechanical parts, Mandala, Bubblewave, Decopunk, Mythpunk, Warmcore, Sanriocore, Romanticism, Sacred, Hearthstone, Album cover art, Manga cover art, Tilt-shift, Archetypal Engine, Illumination, astonishingly real, Comedic lighting, Mystical lighting
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: muted colors
• ■■■□□□□□□□ — subject: round
• □□□■■■■■□□ — color scheme: monochrome
• □□□□□□□■■■ —subject: fog/smoke/mist/haze
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: vibrant colors
• ■■■□□■■■■■ — subject: female
• □□■■■□□□□□ — style: watercolor
• □□□□□□□■■□ — style: art nouveau
Final caption: A woman posing and dressed up in a fantasy costume.
Antirandom A
Initial prompt: a successive hexagon valley by Madgwick Clive and Hashimoto Jacob
Odds Observations:
• ■■□□■■■■■■ — color scheme: polychrome
• ■■□■■■■□■□ — style: photorealistic
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■□□□□□ — color scheme: polychrome
• □□□□■■□□□■ — style: cartoon/drawing
• □□□□□■■■■■ — color scheme: monochrome • ■□□■■■□□□■ — subject: human(s)
• □■□□□□■■□□ — subject: locations
Final caption: An armored man standing in a city with a body of water in front of him.
Antirandom B
Initial prompt: a democratic height Cinderella's castle by Blackman Charles and Bratby John
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■□□ — color scheme: muted colors
• □■□■■□□■□■ — subject: outdoors
• □□□□□■□□■□ — subject: vehicles
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■□□■□□ — color scheme: pink and blue
• ■□■■□■□□□□ — style: photorealistic
• □■□□□□■■■■ — style: cartoon/drawing • □□□□■■□□□□ — subject: oriental
Final caption: A picture of an emperor laying on a king bed with a gold robe.
Antirandom C
Initial prompt: a line warbler in an adjective Le Mont-Saint-Michel by Ringgold Faith and Pranckevicius Gediminas
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: vibrant colors
• ■■□■■■□□□□ — subject: sky
• ■■■□■■■□□□ — style: photorealistic
• □□□□□□□□■■ — style: cartoon/drawing
Evens Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■□ — color scheme: (mostly) monochrome
• ■■■■■□■□□□ — style: cartoon/drawing
• □□□□□□■■■■ — subject: female • □□□□□□□■■■ — style: photorealistic
Final caption: A computer screen view of a woman on display with pink flowers.
Antirandom D
Initial prompt: a successive hexagon valley by Madgwick Clive and Hashimoto Jacob
Odds Observations:
• ■■□■■□■■■□ — color scheme: bright colors
• □□■□□■■□■■ — subject: human
• □■□■■□□□□■ — style: cartoon/drawing
• □□□□□□□□■■ — subject: wings
Evens Observations:
• ■■□■■□■■■■ — color scheme: dull colors
• ■□■■■□■□■■ — subject: human
• ■■□■■□□□■□ — style: photorealistic
Final caption: Man sitting outside in front of a yellow building with a window that overlooks a field.
Antirandom E
Initial prompt: retro gas station on Mars
Odds Observations:
• ■■■■■■■■■■ — color scheme: vivid colors
• ■■■■■□■□■□ — subject: barren location
• □□■■□■■■■□ — subject: glow
• □□■■■■■■■□ — color scheme: blue
Evens Observations:
• ■□■■■■□□□□ — subject: flowers
• ■■■■■■■□□□ — style: cartoon/drawing
• ■■■■□■■■□□ — subject: female• ■■■■■■■□□□ — style: cartoon/drawing
Final caption: A sunburst is reflected on a beach near the ocean.
Initial prompts for Antirandom 1–14 were generated using AI Tools Builder.
Initial prompts for Antirandom A–D were generated using Mad-libbed Prompt Generator.
Initial prompt for Antirandom E was generated using NightCafé.
Intermediate negative prompts were generated using CLIP Interrogator 2.4.
Illustrations were drawn using Stable Diffusion 2.1 instantiated as Imagine v4 (beta) by vyro.ai.
Final captions were generated using Antarctic Captions Prompt Generator.
