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Machine Monotone
- 547 statements
- 104 feature instances
- 98 referencing feature instances
Machine Monotone | type |
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Machine Monotone | label |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone | page |
MachineMonotone | |
Machine Monotone | comment |
Machines that speak have been a common element in Speculative Fiction almost since the beginning of the genre. Usually, such voices have been portrayed as either an electronic monotone, or as an endlessly calm human voice that, while certainly warmer than the electronic buzz of the synthesizer, is unsettling to listen to because of a lack of basic emotional content. This is because, for the most part, machines are incapable of actually feeling emotions. When delivered in a flat monotone voice (that is usually free of contractions or slang), even Spock Speak can take on creepy undertones. This is especially evident when an artificial intelligence goes nuts. Despite going crazy and deciding to to Kill All Humans or simply to take over and rule us for our own good, all the threats and casually vicious comments the machine makes are made in the same level, calm mode of talking, making them that much more creepy. A subtrope of Creepy Monotone. Also a justification if the voice comes off as creepy. This can be an aspect of the Uncanny Valley. Compare Synthetic Voice Actor and Computer Voice. Contrast Electronic Speech Impediment, where the lack of a Machine Monotone is a cause for concern. |
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Machine Monotone | fetched |
2024-04-14T22:32:37Z | |
Machine Monotone | parsed |
2024-04-14T22:32:37Z | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to AIIsACrapshoot: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to ArtificialIntelligence: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to CreepyMonotone: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to DoubleSubvertedTrope: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
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Dropped link to KillerRobot: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to MasterComputer: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to MindRape: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to MiniMecha: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to MirrorMoralityMachine: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to RidiculouslyHumanRobots: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to StarWars: Not an Item - CAT | |
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Dropped link to SubvertedTrope: Not an Item - CAT | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to TheHost: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to UncannyValley: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to VillainousBreakdown: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to VoiceOfTheLegion: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to WhatTheHellPlayer: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingComment |
Dropped link to WordOfGod: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to largeham: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Machine Monotone | processingUnknown |
DoubleSubvertedTrope | |
Machine Monotone | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
Machine Monotone / int_102676ff | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_102676ff | comment |
Out of all the robots in Primordia (2012), only Scraper talks like this. | |
Machine Monotone / int_102676ff | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_102676ff | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Primordia (2012) (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_102676ff | |
Machine Monotone / int_10d303a2 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_10d303a2 | comment |
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Pluto the Tormentor, to the point that it sounds like it's been voiced by a Text To Speech software. Hilariously, once you defeat it, its Machine Monotone is replaced by what sounds halfway between a malfunctioning sound card and dubstep (with a bit of Youtube Poop too). | |
Machine Monotone / int_10d303a2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_10d303a2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Shin Megami Tensei IV (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_10d303a2 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1133352a | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_1133352a | comment |
Terminator films: The Terminator: The Terminator always speaks like this, even when mimicking someone else's voice. Terminator 2: Judgment Day: It is revealed that the longer the T-800 spends in contact with humans, the more human he will come to act. But he still speaks in a flat monotone. The T-1000, on the other hand, is shown to be able to mimic vocal inflection, it just doesn't do it unless it's necessary. |
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Machine Monotone / int_1133352a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1133352a | featureConfidence |
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Terminator (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_1133352a | |
Machine Monotone / int_1367cea0 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_1367cea0 | comment |
In Worm, the supervillain Bakuda has a gas mask that does this to her voice. | |
Machine Monotone / int_1367cea0 | featureApplicability |
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Machine Monotone / int_1367cea0 | featureConfidence |
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Worm | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_1367cea0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1377df | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_1377df | comment |
Terminator 2: Judgment Day: It is revealed that the longer the T-800 spends in contact with humans, the more human he will come to act. But he still speaks in a flat monotone. The T-1000, on the other hand, is shown to be able to mimic vocal inflection, it just doesn't do it unless it's necessary. | |
Machine Monotone / int_1377df | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1377df | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Terminator 2: Judgment Day | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_1377df | |
Machine Monotone / int_17293dfa | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_17293dfa | comment |
Monodam of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, the only Monokub who is outwardly robotic in appearance, TALKS-LIKE-THIS. Well, once he finally opens up, anyway. | |
Machine Monotone / int_17293dfa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_17293dfa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (Visual Novel) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_17293dfa | |
Machine Monotone / int_17bfcf60 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_17bfcf60 | comment |
Homeworld has Fleet Command. Even when their entire homeworld is annihilated, half-human, half-machine Fleet Command still maintains her composed speech. Although the slight inflection of surprise in her voice when the first attackers arrive is obviously intended to show that there's still a person behind the voice. |
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Machine Monotone / int_17bfcf60 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_17bfcf60 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Homeworld (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_17bfcf60 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1852cbb9 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_1852cbb9 | comment |
Starbound: Although the game lacks voice acting, it's implied that the Glitch prefix their sentences with emotional descriptors because they can't vocalize them properly. Additionally, the Glitch aren't aware that they do this, as revealed when Hiraki Corale tried to emulate it without success. Evidently, to both a Glitch speaker and any Glitch listeners, the prefix is filtered out and they perceive the sentence as though spoken with the full emotional content. | |
Machine Monotone / int_1852cbb9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1852cbb9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Starbound (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_1852cbb9 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1af1f707 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_1af1f707 | comment |
ARIA in Eagle Eye. | |
Machine Monotone / int_1af1f707 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_1af1f707 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Eagle Eye | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_1af1f707 | |
Machine Monotone / int_21938c93 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_21938c93 | comment |
Vision and Ultron from Avengers: Age of Ultron both subvert this, in different ways. As opposed to his comic book monotone, Vision in the film features the mellifluous British tones of the Jarvis A.I., as voiced by Paul Bettany. Ultron's voice has a synthesized-sounding buzz and metallic undertones, but he has a full range of tone and inflection underneath that buzz and distortion. | |
Machine Monotone / int_21938c93 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_21938c93 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Avengers: Age of Ultron | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_21938c93 | |
Machine Monotone / int_24a18ffe | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_24a18ffe | comment |
Shellpeople in The Ship Who... are stunted humans on life support and unable to open their mouths or breathe normally. They use their throats and diaphragms while speaking but speech is mediated by use of speakers. Young shellpeople tend to speak in a pleasant monotone, and are more likely to pretend to be machines (and they are installed like AI cores into larger systems). Given time around "softshells" or regular humans, they pick up more human modes of speech, and some even take courses ahead of time to learn to convey emotion with their voices alone. A stressed and multitasking Simeon, in The City Who Fought, temporarily speaks more robotically than usual as he can't dedicate as much attention to seeming personable at the moment. | |
Machine Monotone / int_24a18ffe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_24a18ffe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Ship Who... | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_24a18ffe | |
Machine Monotone / int_283b23c1 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_283b23c1 | comment |
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie 2nd As has NachtWal, the The Book of Darkness' malfunctioning automatic defense system that speaks in Gratuitous German with a calm, mechanical monotone as it terminates the Wolkenritter, breaks Hayate's mind, possesses her body, and starts destroying the world. | |
Machine Monotone / int_283b23c1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_283b23c1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_283b23c1 | |
Machine Monotone / int_2ba1d958 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_2ba1d958 | comment |
The agents from The Matrix all talk like this, even while in the midst of a gunfight. | |
Machine Monotone / int_2ba1d958 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_2ba1d958 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Matrix | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_2ba1d958 | |
Machine Monotone / int_2c2a56e3 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_2c2a56e3 | comment |
The battle droids from The Phantom Menace. | |
Machine Monotone / int_2c2a56e3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_2c2a56e3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Phantom Menace | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_2c2a56e3 | |
Machine Monotone / int_31a4ac83 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_31a4ac83 | comment |
In Double Agent Vader, Kadee the medic drone speaks in an emotionless monotone, because her builders never thought to give her anything else. Anakin offers to give her a better vocoder after he liberates her, but she decides that as long as she's staying under cover as an ordinary droid she'll stick with the monotone to reduce the chances of attracting suspicion. It's noted that she gets pretty good at being a Deadpan Snarker. | |
Machine Monotone / int_31a4ac83 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_31a4ac83 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Double Agent Vader (Fanfic) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_31a4ac83 | |
Machine Monotone / int_33dd1d90 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_33dd1d90 | comment |
The Combine Overwatch from Half-Life 2 is another example; "she" may be an AI, although it is more likely she is just the alien equivalent of a tech support answering machine. She ends up sounding more like GLaDOS for HL2 Episode Two because they share the same voice actress. Doubly creepy because the Overwatch Dispatcher refers to Overwatch assets and objectives with mostly medically-inspired jargon: turrets are "sterilizers", soldiers are "protection teams", and the order to isolate and kill intruders is "Clamp. Expunge. Sterilize." Half-Life has a similar PA system in Black Mesa (usually given the name VOX to distinguish it from the PA system heard during the tram ride). It was probably meant to be a text-to-speech system, but probably due to technical reasons, the game splices together a dictionary of pre-recorded words, similar to how Operation Flashpoint worked. |
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Machine Monotone / int_33dd1d90 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_33dd1d90 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Half-Life 2 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_33dd1d90 | |
Machine Monotone / int_362874e3 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_362874e3 | comment |
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons: Lunarville 7's main computer, Speech Intelligence Decoder (SID) that identifies humans via recognition disks. | |
Machine Monotone / int_362874e3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_362874e3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_362874e3 | |
Machine Monotone / int_36ee2abe | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_36ee2abe | comment |
The Paranoia rulebook advises the GM to use such a voice for The Computer (among a few other creepy options). Most of the time, The Computer is very polite - even when he's ordering a Troubleshooter to visit the nearest suicide booth or charge the Mutant Commie Traitor barricade armed only with a can of Bouncy Bubble Beverage. To be fair, in that last case, you aren't completely unarmed. | |
Machine Monotone / int_36ee2abe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_36ee2abe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Paranoia (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_36ee2abe | |
Machine Monotone / int_3717ea4a | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_3717ea4a | comment |
The DC Animated Universe version of Brainiac, being an AI, is portrayed quite like HAL. He's voiced by Corey Burton, who also voices both versions of Shockwave. | |
Machine Monotone / int_3717ea4a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_3717ea4a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
DC Animated Universe (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_3717ea4a | |
Machine Monotone / int_3b7abee2 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_3b7abee2 | comment |
Half-Life has a similar PA system in Black Mesa (usually given the name VOX to distinguish it from the PA system heard during the tram ride). It was probably meant to be a text-to-speech system, but probably due to technical reasons, the game splices together a dictionary of pre-recorded words, similar to how Operation Flashpoint worked. | |
Machine Monotone / int_3b7abee2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_3b7abee2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Half-Life (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_3b7abee2 | |
Machine Monotone / int_468bebb0 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_468bebb0 | comment |
HEX, the University thinking machine in the Discworld, ++talks like this++And his speeches follow this orthographic convention++This is based on early computer print-outs to indicate that he is printing his responses, rather than speaking them++However, when HEX gets an actual voice, he still uses (++) as punctuation to indicate a full stop++ | |
Machine Monotone / int_468bebb0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_468bebb0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Discworld | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_468bebb0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a2c8c06 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a2c8c06 | comment |
Thief II: The Metal Age: The Children of Karras, his mechanical cohorts, will perform their duties while muttering pre-recorded litanies of prayers to their 'father' in a creepy machine monotone. | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a2c8c06 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a2c8c06 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Thief II: The Metal Age (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_4a2c8c06 | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a64b81b | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a64b81b | comment |
Vicki on Small Wonder is a comedic example, though she also did natural intonations from time to time. | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a64b81b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_4a64b81b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Small Wonder | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_4a64b81b | |
Machine Monotone / int_4c095a1f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_4c095a1f | comment |
Series: The Transformers. Example: Soundwave. Behavior: Always uses monotone. HAL 9000 voice synthesizer: Comparatively flexible. Outcome: Enduring fame and popularity. This trope has become such an integral part of Soundwave that if a new incarnation removes other parts iconic to the character (such as the color scheme, general design, role in the series, deployer abilities, and sound powers), fans will generally judge all other Soundwave depictions based on his voice patterns. A key example is in the Netflix War for Cybertron Trilogy series, where one of the many complaints is the quality of Soundwave's voice modulation, which sounded too light and artificial for the character. |
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Machine Monotone / int_4c095a1f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_4c095a1f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Transformers | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_4c095a1f | |
Machine Monotone / int_4ce5263e | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_4ce5263e | comment |
XCOM: Enemy Within: The MEC troopers are soldiers who sacrificed their limbs for Meld-powered ones, so they can safely pilot giant suits of power armor in combat. While the in-game descriptions state that the MEC troopers have amputated their limbs, their Creepy Monotone voices and strangely formal speech patterns make you wonder if they sacrificed more than just their arms and legs. | |
Machine Monotone / int_4ce5263e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_4ce5263e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_4ce5263e | |
Machine Monotone / int_5009140f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_5009140f | comment |
"Catch That Rabbit": The DV-5 model robot is designed with an "excellent" diaphragm that allows him to use a wider range of inflections and tones. This is in contrast to earlier models who speak with "metallic flatness". The subsidiary units to DV-5 are not given the same diaphragm and programming for inflection. When Powell and Donovan interview a "finger", its answers are given by rote, without enthusiasm or interest. |
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Machine Monotone / int_5009140f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_5009140f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Catch That Rabbit | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_5009140f | |
Machine Monotone / int_52690c13 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_52690c13 | comment |
The voice on the intercom in the second and third Penumbra games sounds like this. At first, it seems like a typical automated announcement device, but by the third game, it turns out to have an awareness and personality. However, the usual characterization is subverted—it's not evil, and judging by its words it can feel horror and loneliness. And its emotional quotes may not be real in the first place, given when you start hearing it speak as such. | |
Machine Monotone / int_52690c13 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
Machine Monotone / int_52690c13 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Penumbra (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_52690c13 | |
Machine Monotone / int_526d4c5c | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_526d4c5c | comment |
HK-50/47 from both Knights of the Old Republic games. "Mocking Query: Coorta? Coorta? Are you dead yet?" Actually, only the prefixes seemed to be delivered in monotone. The rest was no different from any other speaking droid in Star Wars, especially HK-47's clearly audible annoyance at not being allowed to shoot everything in sight and having to use that disgusting word "master". |
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Machine Monotone / int_526d4c5c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_526d4c5c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Knights of the Old Republic (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_526d4c5c | |
Machine Monotone / int_5921531a | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_5921531a | comment |
In Persona 3 and its remake, when SEES first comes across Aigis, she speaks in a very dull monotone. Throughout the game, though, as she learns more about what it means to be a human being, she gradually starts to speak more fluidly and naturally: by the time she re-appears in Persona 4: Arena, her speech, while still slightly stilted, sounds very human-like, with Mitsuru commenting that Aigis sometimes intentionally puts on the "robot act" when she wants to voice her opinion on something. | |
Machine Monotone / int_5921531a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_5921531a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Persona 3 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_5921531a | |
Machine Monotone / int_5bb3aaab | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_5bb3aaab | comment |
Project 2501 "the Puppetmaster" from Ghost in the Shell (1995) speaks in monotone constantly, and for added dissonance, has a male voice in a female body, and does not move the mouth. | |
Machine Monotone / int_5bb3aaab | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_5bb3aaab | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Ghost in the Shell (1995) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_5bb3aaab | |
Machine Monotone / int_62126ef1 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_62126ef1 | comment |
Ultron from The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes does this. As arrogant and psychotic as a machine he can get, his voice never really changes. | |
Machine Monotone / int_62126ef1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_62126ef1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_62126ef1 | |
Machine Monotone / int_667a67b0 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_667a67b0 | comment |
Learning Voyage: Sand Trapped! has a game called "Robomatic". You solve math problems to add pieces to a robot. Each randomly determined feature is read aloud by a computer that talks like this. Also, one of the features you can get is "Monotone Vocal Affectation". | |
Machine Monotone / int_667a67b0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_667a67b0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Learning Voyage (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_667a67b0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_71e997c1 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_71e997c1 | comment |
Shale Hill Secrets: The protagonist uses a text-to-speech app due to having lost his voice in high school, with several characters noting the monotone nature makes it hard to gauge his emotions. | |
Machine Monotone / int_71e997c1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_71e997c1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Shale Hill Secrets (Visual Novel) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_71e997c1 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7257afca | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_7257afca | comment |
Charlie the tutorial NPC from Sword Art Online Abridged falls into this when telling a player how long they're been playing before returning to his normal voice. | |
Machine Monotone / int_7257afca | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7257afca | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Sword Art Online Abridged (Web Video) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_7257afca | |
Machine Monotone / int_74f3e5ae | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_74f3e5ae | comment |
Bread Barbershop: The eponymous automaton in "Robot Wilk" speaks in a monotone. | |
Machine Monotone / int_74f3e5ae | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_74f3e5ae | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Bread Barbershop (Animation) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_74f3e5ae | |
Machine Monotone / int_796b8ac | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_796b8ac | comment |
In Persona 4: Arena and Ultimax, Aigis' "sister unit", Labrys, averts this trope completely, speaking very fluidly (albeit with a thick Kansai/Brooklyn accent, as Labrys and the other prototype units are based on an actual human girl). | |
Machine Monotone / int_796b8ac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_796b8ac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Persona 4: Arena (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_796b8ac | |
Machine Monotone / int_7981ca33 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_7981ca33 | comment |
The WOPR supercomputer ("Joshua") from WarGames. Somewhat justified, because WOPR isn't really "talking", it's simply printing text which is run though a fairly simple text-to-speech synthesizer on the protagonist's home computer. The voice was provided by Falken's actor John Wood, who recorded his dialogue word-for-word in reverse to give it a flat affect, e.g. "Shall we play a game?" was recorded as "game? a... play... we... Shall" | |
Machine Monotone / int_7981ca33 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7981ca33 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
WarGames | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_7981ca33 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7988cb68 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_7988cb68 | comment |
Played with in the Mass Effect series with the synthetic characters. Legion in Mass Effect 2 is probably the straightest example, and even then it is subverted on several occasions as the character shows some very organic-like quirks and attachments, and its voice reflects that. The voice of Sovereign in the first game is also somewhat monotone, but it's not a "flat", emotionless monotone, but a menacing one. The Reaper destroyer in Mass Effect 3 also speaks with a similar tone. Averted with other synthetic characters, most notably EDI, who can be playful, humorous, or even caring (though still with a little touch of deadpan), and Harbinger, who is a Large Ham. |
|
Machine Monotone / int_7988cb68 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7988cb68 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Mass Effect (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_7988cb68 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7ab10627 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_7ab10627 | comment |
The Ilia-probe from Star Trek: The Motion Picture spoke like this. | |
Machine Monotone / int_7ab10627 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7ab10627 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Star Trek: The Motion Picture | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_7ab10627 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7c07df33 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_7c07df33 | comment |
The Billion Dollar Brain speaks down phone lines to the various protagonists in a monotone with every word punctuated. | |
Machine Monotone / int_7c07df33 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7c07df33 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Billion Dollar Brain | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_7c07df33 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7e7124af | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_7e7124af | comment |
Persona 5 Strikers: Sophia, a sentient AI the Phantom Thieves meet in the game, speaks in similarly monotone way, though it's downplayed by Sophia being able to provide inflections in her voice. Her deliveries are still somewhat stilted and flat, like the kind of programmed voice you'd hear coming from a home assistant or from a smartphone's voice command function. As Sophia grows to become a better companion to humanity, she eventually grows out of this as she gains her own ego and heart, speaking much more human-like when she awakens to her true Persona. | |
Machine Monotone / int_7e7124af | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7e7124af | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Persona 5 Strikers (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_7e7124af | |
Machine Monotone / int_7f5bc680 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_7f5bc680 | comment |
The robots in the Fallout series, especially the Sentry Bots. | |
Machine Monotone / int_7f5bc680 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_7f5bc680 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Fallout | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_7f5bc680 | |
Machine Monotone / int_81692f99 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_81692f99 | comment |
The Decepticon Shockwave is described as an evil version of Mr. Spock, though that mostly refers to the comic-book version, who is every bit as fond of the word 'logic' as the Vulcans. However, he does speak in a very emotionless manner, with a bit of rasp as well. The Animated version talks the same way, and has the same actor, but in his disguise as Longarm, he talks much more normally and even has a different accent. | |
Machine Monotone / int_81692f99 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_81692f99 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Star Trek (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_81692f99 | |
Machine Monotone / int_81bc1811 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_81bc1811 | comment |
Megaman Juno in Mega Man Legends speaks in a very polite, almost whispering voice about wiping out an entire civilization with a satellite strike. It's also worth noting that he initiates these cataclysmic events with a warm and friendly smile on his face. | |
Machine Monotone / int_81bc1811 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_81bc1811 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Mega Man Legends (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_81bc1811 | |
Machine Monotone / int_83c5459c | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_83c5459c | comment |
Father Tres Equis from Trinity Blood, except he's a cold killer android. He's still the kind of guy who proposes killing a small child for simplicity's sake, and lacks emotions of any kind. Probably one of the only example who actually acts as unemotional as a walking computer would. A few minor events suggest that Tres does some of this intentionally; he's certainly not as emotionless as people think. | |
Machine Monotone / int_83c5459c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_83c5459c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Trinity Blood | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_83c5459c | |
Machine Monotone / int_84d455d4 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_84d455d4 | comment |
The gynoid Dorothy from The Big O speaks in a level electronic grate - although peculiarly, instead of making her seem detached or dispassionate, it transforms her into a snickeringly incisive Deadpan Snarker. The hero Roger has just literally kicked her into the middle of a crossfire - she emerges with her shell sooty, her clothes tattered, and her frazzled hair sticking out every which way. Her comment? "You're a louse, Roger Smith.". |
|
Machine Monotone / int_84d455d4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_84d455d4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Big O | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_84d455d4 | |
Machine Monotone / int_859f63e3 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_859f63e3 | comment |
Dragon Ball Abridged gives Killer Robot Android 19 one of these by having a computer text-to-speech program voice him. | |
Machine Monotone / int_859f63e3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_859f63e3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
DragonBallAbridged | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_859f63e3 | |
Machine Monotone / int_8601c91f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_8601c91f | comment |
Vega, the artificial intelligence in charge of the UAC's Mars Base in Doom (2016), always speaks in a calm, monotone voice with little inflection, even when instructing the Doom Slayer on how to destroy it at the end of the end of the game. Samuel Hayden - a former human who had part of his brain implanted into a robot body is a more downplayed example. While he does inflect, and the player can even hear his barely-restrained frustration towards the Doom Slayer on occasion, he never raises his voice and remains composed throughout. | |
Machine Monotone / int_8601c91f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_8601c91f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Doom (2016) (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_8601c91f | |
Machine Monotone / int_862821f3 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_862821f3 | comment |
In The Bots Master, all of the RM Corp's bots talk this way, thanks to the "Dr. Spaitso" program created by Creative Labs. (The company best known for its "Sound Blaster" line of PC sound cards.) | |
Machine Monotone / int_862821f3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_862821f3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Bots Master | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_862821f3 | |
Machine Monotone / int_869aca34 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_869aca34 | comment |
In Hot Bot, the Hot Bots speak in a monotone with stiff speech patterns as well as a clearly synthetic voice. Bardot's voice become more human as she breaks free from her programming and develops her own personality. | |
Machine Monotone / int_869aca34 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_869aca34 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Hot Bot | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_869aca34 | |
Machine Monotone / int_86b52b7b | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_86b52b7b | comment |
VIKI from I, Robot, in contrast to Sonny's speech, which is between this and a genuine emotional voice. | |
Machine Monotone / int_86b52b7b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_86b52b7b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
I, Robot | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_86b52b7b | |
Machine Monotone / int_87e00d8e | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_87e00d8e | comment |
Teen Titans (2003): Being a literal Brain in a Jar, The Brain speaks with a computerized Stephen Hawking-inspired voice. | |
Machine Monotone / int_87e00d8e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_87e00d8e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Teen Titans (2003) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_87e00d8e | |
Machine Monotone / int_89869bb2 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_89869bb2 | comment |
The song "Fitter Happier" from OK Computer by Radiohead delivers this in the way only a machine can. | |
Machine Monotone / int_89869bb2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_89869bb2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
OK Computer (Music) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_89869bb2 | |
Machine Monotone / int_8ee238c9 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_8ee238c9 | comment |
Persona: In Persona 3 and its remake, when SEES first comes across Aigis, she speaks in a very dull monotone. Throughout the game, though, as she learns more about what it means to be a human being, she gradually starts to speak more fluidly and naturally: by the time she re-appears in Persona 4: Arena, her speech, while still slightly stilted, sounds very human-like, with Mitsuru commenting that Aigis sometimes intentionally puts on the "robot act" when she wants to voice her opinion on something. In Persona 4: Arena and Ultimax, Aigis' "sister unit", Labrys, averts this trope completely, speaking very fluidly (albeit with a thick Kansai/Brooklyn accent, as Labrys and the other prototype units are based on an actual human girl). Persona 5 Strikers: Sophia, a sentient AI the Phantom Thieves meet in the game, speaks in similarly monotone way, though it's downplayed by Sophia being able to provide inflections in her voice. Her deliveries are still somewhat stilted and flat, like the kind of programmed voice you'd hear coming from a home assistant or from a smartphone's voice command function. As Sophia grows to become a better companion to humanity, she eventually grows out of this as she gains her own ego and heart, speaking much more human-like when she awakens to her true Persona. |
|
Machine Monotone / int_8ee238c9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_8ee238c9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Persona (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_8ee238c9 | |
Machine Monotone / int_9058ad7e | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_9058ad7e | comment |
The Terminator: The Terminator always speaks like this, even when mimicking someone else's voice. | |
Machine Monotone / int_9058ad7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_9058ad7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Terminator | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_9058ad7e | |
Machine Monotone / int_91209b29 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_91209b29 | comment |
KOS-MOS in Xenosaga speaks monotone, although her evil counterpart TELOS speaks normally in Xenosaga III. | |
Machine Monotone / int_91209b29 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_91209b29 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Xenosaga (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_91209b29 | |
Machine Monotone / int_919601c2 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_919601c2 | comment |
Proteus IV in Demon Seed, provided by an uncredited Robert Vaughn. | |
Machine Monotone / int_919601c2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_919601c2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Demon Seed | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_919601c2 | |
Machine Monotone / int_98bc436a | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_98bc436a | comment |
The computer whom the Blockheads consult numerous times in the first movie of Gumby. Midway, it starts changing tones for no apparent reason. | |
Machine Monotone / int_98bc436a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_98bc436a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Gumby | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_98bc436a | |
Machine Monotone / int_9994a14f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_9994a14f | comment |
Auto the autopilot from WALL•E, itself an Expy of HAL-9000. | |
Machine Monotone / int_9994a14f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_9994a14f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
WALL•E | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_9994a14f | |
Machine Monotone / int_9a65ef49 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_9a65ef49 | comment |
EDI, the rogue plane of Stealth, is particularly cruel when says "Goodbye, Henry" to Jamie Foxx, one second before jamming him and his plane against a cliff. | |
Machine Monotone / int_9a65ef49 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_9a65ef49 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Stealth | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_9a65ef49 | |
Machine Monotone / int_9a7088bc | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_9a7088bc | comment |
Star Trek: The androids in the episode "Mudd's Planet" all spoke in a constant monotone. In the episode "The Changeling", a mind meld with the titular probe goes wrong, sending Spock into this mode (fortunately, only temporary). |
|
Machine Monotone / int_9a7088bc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_9a7088bc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Star Trek: The Original Series | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_9a7088bc | |
Machine Monotone / int_a183d57f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_a183d57f | comment |
Parodied in Futurama where a HAL 9000-like spaceship talks like HAL at first until they change the voice to a cheerful girl's voice. It's still creepy when he/she/it becomes obsessed with Bender. Another episode features a rather fearsome robot nanny that shouts in a seemingly angry monotone, "Sleep, little dumpling! I have replaced your mother!" Leela says, "Aww!" |
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Machine Monotone / int_a183d57f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_a183d57f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Futurama | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_a183d57f | |
Machine Monotone / int_a8a1b3ae | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_a8a1b3ae | comment |
Brawl Stars: Rico is the only robot character to talk like this, which belies the fact that he, like most robots in the game, has a personality. Even his laugh is a monotone "ha ha ha" with little emotion. He humorously has to say his feelings out loud for them to come across. Sprout is technically just a sentient plant operating a Mini-Mecha, but it can only communicate via the machine's voice synthesizer, which comes out as monotone Robo Speak and ironically seems to have less personality than most of the game's actual robots. |
|
Machine Monotone / int_a8a1b3ae | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_a8a1b3ae | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Brawl Stars (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_a8a1b3ae | |
Machine Monotone / int_af3256a1 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_af3256a1 | comment |
One of the voices for Mission Control in 3-D Ultra Pinball is a female monotone. | |
Machine Monotone / int_af3256a1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_af3256a1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
3-D Ultra Pinball (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_af3256a1 | |
Machine Monotone / int_b2f10040 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_b2f10040 | comment |
The arcade game Berzerk may be the Ur-Example in video games. Not technically a monotone since there were at least two distinct pitches, though each line only used one of the two. The clearest example was after the player died: | |
Machine Monotone / int_b2f10040 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_b2f10040 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Berzerk (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_b2f10040 | |
Machine Monotone / int_b36dc97b | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_b36dc97b | comment |
GERTY from Moon isn't monotone, but speaks in a rigidly pleasant and soothing tone. | |
Machine Monotone / int_b36dc97b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_b36dc97b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Moon | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_b36dc97b | |
Machine Monotone / int_b3788a5d | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_b3788a5d | comment |
HAL 9000 of 2001: A Space Odyssey always talks in a near-monotone with just enough inflection to put it in the Uncanny Valley. Towards the end of the movie, when Dave is essentially lobotomizing him, HAL goes from trying to reason with Dave to pleading for his life, stopping only when he reverted to factory settings and began singing a rendition of "Daisy." All in the same calm, polite voice. | |
Machine Monotone / int_b3788a5d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_b3788a5d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
2001: A Space Odyssey | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_b3788a5d | |
Machine Monotone / int_b83dd5ac | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_b83dd5ac | comment |
Technical death metallers The Faceless use this to effect in their Planetary Duality album. | |
Machine Monotone / int_b83dd5ac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_b83dd5ac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Faceless (Music) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_b83dd5ac | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba2ab0a2 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba2ab0a2 | comment |
In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, findings voids in the Animus' software will drop you into a set of puzzles narrated by an emotionless female voice...which becomes extra creepy when the voice begins to speak as though it's lost and alone, wandering through endless darkness. This is because Subject 16 can only speak in a machine voice once he's uploaded himself into the Animus (until he loads his real one). | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba2ab0a2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba2ab0a2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_ba2ab0a2 | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba3d2748 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba3d2748 | comment |
The voice that all of Syndrome's machines use in The Incredibles, at one point serving as the "automated captain" for the plane Mr. Incredible takes on his second mission. | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba3d2748 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_ba3d2748 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Incredibles | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_ba3d2748 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bb8d2f1a | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_bb8d2f1a | comment |
Marvin the Paranoid Android, in the Live Action TV adaptation of the The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series talks in such way. | |
Machine Monotone / int_bb8d2f1a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bb8d2f1a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_bb8d2f1a | |
Machine Monotone / int_bc3e398b | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_bc3e398b | comment |
Cameron, from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, uses a Machine Monotone in general. The absence of the Machine Monotone we're used to is what made the scene where she recites, not only word for word but inflection for inflection, a "classmate's" emotional bathroom rant for the principal creepy. Similarly, in the second season premiere, the steady shift from Cameron's Creepy Monotone to her desperate, terrified pleas to John to a screaming declaration that she loves him while he's trying to take out her chip makes for a chillingly awesome scene. And in the episode "Allison from Palmdale", the use of the Creepy Monotone and its absence makes an already chilling episode that much creepier. |
|
Machine Monotone / int_bc3e398b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bc3e398b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_bc3e398b | |
Machine Monotone / int_bc51fc43 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_bc51fc43 | comment |
"The Robots" from The Man-Machine by Kraftwerk had this, just all of the tracks on Computer World. | |
Machine Monotone / int_bc51fc43 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bc51fc43 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Man-Machine (Music) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_bc51fc43 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bcadd7cb | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_bcadd7cb | comment |
Some members of the Adeptus Mechanicus are given this trait in Warhammer 40,000, due to their all-encompassing cybernetics. (And at the other extreme you get the ones in Dawn of War, who are Large Hams.) Necrons are even less emotive...those who can speak, anyway. | |
Machine Monotone / int_bcadd7cb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bcadd7cb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Warhammer 40,000 (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_bcadd7cb | |
Machine Monotone / int_bcdcf629 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_bcdcf629 | comment |
Transformers: Animated: Animated Soundwave speaks in complete sentences, which differentiates him from the original. His inflection remains flat and heavily synthesized. His sentences are clipped and precise. His voice remains a tinny monotone under all circumstances. He is Soundwave. Animated Perceptor, who according to Word of God supposedly removed his personality to have more room for information storage. And he's one of the good guys. In fact, his synthesized voice is basically the same as Stephen Hawking. |
|
Machine Monotone / int_bcdcf629 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bcdcf629 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Transformers: Animated | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_bcdcf629 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bdbcdadf | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_bdbcdadf | comment |
In Neither a Bird nor a Plane, it's Deku!, K.E.L.E.X. speaks in flat, electronic monotone that is conveyed through all-caps and a complete lack of contractions, which don't exist in Kryptonese. | |
Machine Monotone / int_bdbcdadf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_bdbcdadf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Neither a Bird nor a Plane, it's Deku! (Fanfic) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_bdbcdadf | |
Machine Monotone / int_c0105f18 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_c0105f18 | comment |
The Bionic Woman (1970s) episode "Doomsday is Tomorrow". The HAL 9000 ALEX 7000 computer that's trying to kill Jaime has a voice like this. | |
Machine Monotone / int_c0105f18 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_c0105f18 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Bionic Woman | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_c0105f18 | |
Machine Monotone / int_c0d295c4 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_c0d295c4 | comment |
If you equip the Soldier with the Tin Soldier set (a cardboard box mask, shoes, and pair of ventilation pipes) during certain times of the year in Team Fortress 2, all of his combat voices will be replaced with robot-themed voices delivered in this fashion. Taken to its logical conclusion when these lines are said by his robot self. |
|
Machine Monotone / int_c0d295c4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_c0d295c4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Team Fortress 2 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_c0d295c4 | |
Machine Monotone / int_c43df4d8 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_c43df4d8 | comment |
Doctor Who: In the episode "The Robots of Death", the eponymous robots speak with no inflection. More often than not, all the robots and computers tend to do this. The modern Cybermen, not including their original incarnations from The '60s, speak in a constant and unchanging monotone. That's the least freaky thing about them. The Daleks avert this. There are some instances where they talk in a monotone voice, but most of the time they simply shout in xenophobic rage. "EXTERMINATE!" |
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Doctor Who | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_c43df4d8 | |
Machine Monotone / int_c51d68e7 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_c51d68e7 | comment |
The Toralii in Lacuna are physically unable to speak English and vice versa, so when they want to talk to the Humans they use a translator program that sounds like this. | |
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Lacuna | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_c51d68e7 | |
Machine Monotone / int_c5c08062 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_c5c08062 | comment |
In Dark Star, the female computer's sexy but creepily monotone voice during emergency situations. | |
Machine Monotone / int_c5c08062 | featureApplicability |
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Dark Star | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_c5c08062 | |
Machine Monotone / int_c72021c5 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_c72021c5 | comment |
Deus Ex uses this trope to its full extent, partly because it used so many famous examples as inspiration, such as SHODAN, HAL, Agent Smith and Project 2501. Daedalus speaks in a monotone because he uses a voice-filter to avoid anyone detecting that he is, in fact, an AI and not just a rather well written interactive operating system. Icarus doesn't speak in a monotone, but every single sentence is pure hate run through a voice synthesizer, and includes such gems as the above while presumably installing a rootkit your brain. Helios uses the the more HAL-esque flat voice, coupled with irregular voice patterns. |
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Machine Monotone / int_c72021c5 | featureApplicability |
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Deus Ex (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_c72021c5 | |
Machine Monotone / int_cb28ba69 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_cb28ba69 | comment |
Stories on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me involving robots (robots being "laid off" in Japan, a robot taught to pair socks, etc.) often invoke this trope at some point, usually with host Peter Sagal or one of the panelists giving a monotone "What is love?" or the like. Brian Babylon once chided Peter for this, suggesting that it was no longer politically correct to make robot voices sound that way. | |
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Machine Monotone / int_cf69b21e | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_cf69b21e | comment |
Beast Wars: None of the Transformers themselves, but their internal computers (which vocally communicate diagnostic data or warnings of significant damage), as well as the security systems of both factions' bases, communicate in emotionless monotones. | |
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Machine Monotone / int_cf91ea91 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_cf91ea91 | comment |
"Reason": QT-1 has "the cold timbre inseparable from a metallic diaphragm". His laughter has zero inflection, and is as monotone as a metronome. However, his voice displays multiple levels of inflection, growing angry or compassionate, depending on the situation. | |
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Machine Monotone / int_d5166b44 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_d5166b44 | comment |
Halo 3: "This is UNSC AI Serial Number CTN-4169. I am a monument to all your sins." This shows just how badly Cortana is being Mind Raped by the Gravemind. | |
Machine Monotone / int_d5166b44 | featureApplicability |
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Machine Monotone / int_d607c683 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_d607c683 | comment |
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle has a very funny spin on this with Dr. Letz Shake, the brain of a previously-unfought assassin from the previous game rebuilt into a Spider Tank that speaks in a form of this. When speaking, he keeps his elocution level and stoic while he verbally expresses his mood, intonation, and punctuation aloud, creating a rather weird dissonance given his voice is still oozing with gravitas. | |
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Machine Monotone / int_d7dc4ddd | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_d7dc4ddd | comment |
In The Witch of the Everfree, Sunset enchants her journal to recite any messages Twilight writes to it, but she doesn't know sufficiently advanced illusion magic to get an actual voice link going, so instead it recites the text in her own voice with a completely deadpan tone. She updates it to use Twilight's voice after they meet in person, but never gets around to fixing the tone. |
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Machine Monotone / int_d98a1281 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_d98a1281 | comment |
The Turing Test: In the ending where TOM allows Ava and Sarah to disconnect it, TOM keeps its usual calm tone even while saying it's afraid to die. | |
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Machine Monotone / int_dc25de3f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_dc25de3f | comment |
GLaDOS in Portal is an unfeeling and sadistic A.I. who frequently speaks with a monotonous and emotionless voice as she subjects the protagonist Chell to increasingly more dangerous situations; her pitch also changes regularly, as every syllable is spoken inhumanly flat and detached, not flowing into one another. This is because her speech patterns were done by running the character's lines through a text To Speech software, then having the voice actress model her delivery on that (with a dash of emotion for flavor) to replicate the unnaturalness in the inflection of artificial voices. This changes as the narrative progresses and GLaDOS becomes more disjointed, and when Chell destroys her morality core, her previously clinical, robotic monotone shifts to a more organic (some might even say sultry) monotone. Downplayed in Portal 2 during her Villainous Breakdown just before the core transfer takes place. For the rest of the game, she alternates between her "normal" monotone and actually showing some emotion; it's actually pretty amusing hearing GLaDOS freak out during the Aperture Science bits. |
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Portal / Videogame | hasFeature |
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Machine Monotone / int_dcbd6000 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_dcbd6000 | comment |
Princesses of the Pizza Parlor: From Princesses on the Lonely Isle, Soledad, a magical creation that's basically a robot, has a voice that's described as "even-toned and colorless". | |
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Machine Monotone / int_e293455a | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_e293455a | comment |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer has had at least two monotone androids: The first was the android "Ted". He keeps it up even with half his face missing during his fight with Buffy. The other was April, an android created by Warren Meers in a fifth-season episode. Xander and Anya even remark that her strangely even and polite monotone, while odd, is a turn on to some guys. Considering her original purpose in being built it was probably intentional. The Buffybot has an even "Creepy Perkiness" manner of speaking. |
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_e293455a | |
Machine Monotone / int_e381e71f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_e381e71f | comment |
The main antagonist of Digimon Tamers, D-Reaper, also uses a Creepy Monotone (this time because it is evil/a computer program). This is made twelve times creepier because the Creepy Monotone it uses is the voice of Juri, one of the main characters, whom it had absorbed early on. | |
Machine Monotone / int_e381e71f | featureApplicability |
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Digimon Tamers | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_e381e71f | |
Machine Monotone / int_e5d72faf | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_e5d72faf | comment |
Midway's Gorf and Wizard of Wor are two other early "talking" video games, which also have a machine monotone (in fact, they both feature the exact same one). | |
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Gorf (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_e5d72faf | |
Machine Monotone / int_e67a7d6c | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_e67a7d6c | comment |
Chachamaru in Negima! Magister Negi Magi (played by Akeno Watanabe, who also plays Robin Sena). This trait was carried over into the dub by giving her a British accent, and casting Caitlin Glass to play her. | |
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Machine Monotone / int_e67a7d6c | |
Machine Monotone / int_ea377bc0 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_ea377bc0 | comment |
System Shock completely averts the trope with SHODAN, who is scarily passionate for an AI at times, especially when something doesn't work out like it should — or when it does. XERXES in part 2 plays it straight, however. Turns into Creepy Monotone once he starts spouting stuff like "Glory to the flesh. Glory to the Many." The generic computer voice in the first game also plays it straight, sounding like a standard text-to-speech system throughout the entire game, regardless of anything SHODAN is doing. |
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Machine Monotone / int_eaaef767 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
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"Max", from Flight of the Navigator. At least, until it downloaded information from David's brain and accidentally took in some of his personality and started to sound like a sci-fi Pee-Wee Herman... | |
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Machine Monotone / int_ef076a36 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_ef076a36 | comment |
In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Living Witness", an alien historical holo-sim depicts Voyager's doctor as an emotionless killer android with a Creepy Monotone. They had no idea that he's actually a hologram, a Large Ham, and a Jerk with a Heart of Gold. | |
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Star Trek: Voyager | hasFeature |
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Machine Monotone / int_ef4fd083 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_ef4fd083 | comment |
The computer from The Brave Little Toaster. | |
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Machine Monotone / int_f481d3e4 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_f481d3e4 | comment |
The calm monotone of David from Prometheus just serves to make his semi-sarcastic one-liners all the more cutting. | |
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Prometheus | hasFeature |
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Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_f4abd380 | comment |
BlazBlue's Robot Girl Nu-13 speaks in a creepy monotone, except around Ragna. In Noel's ending Noel loses her identity and begins speaking in the same monotone. | |
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BlazBlue (Franchise) | hasFeature |
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Machine Monotone / int_f5d2ead0 | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_f5d2ead0 | comment |
Soundwave of Transformers: Cybertron rocks the monotone like his original counterpart, but he remixes it with some phat Jive Turkey. | |
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Transformers: Cybertron | hasFeature |
Machine Monotone / int_f5d2ead0 | |
Machine Monotone / int_fb9c177d | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_fb9c177d | comment |
Transformers: Series: The Transformers. Example: Soundwave. Behavior: Always uses monotone. HAL 9000 voice synthesizer: Comparatively flexible. Outcome: Enduring fame and popularity. This trope has become such an integral part of Soundwave that if a new incarnation removes other parts iconic to the character (such as the color scheme, general design, role in the series, deployer abilities, and sound powers), fans will generally judge all other Soundwave depictions based on his voice patterns. A key example is in the Netflix War for Cybertron Trilogy series, where one of the many complaints is the quality of Soundwave's voice modulation, which sounded too light and artificial for the character. Omega Supreme talks like this because he was attacked by a Mirror Morality Machine long ago. He was able to break free before it had finished reprogramming him, but it left him nearly emotionless. He can talk "like a normal Autobot," but it seems to take some effort. Prime expresses the hope that Omega may eventually recover his ability to feel, and Omega answers, "Possibility: growing." Subverted by Deceptitran (in the episode "Sea Change"), a Decepticon computer that is expressly proven to be nonsentient, but whose voice sounds like it's on the verge of hysteria. The Decepticon Shockwave is described as an evil version of Mr. Spock, though that mostly refers to the comic-book version, who is every bit as fond of the word 'logic' as the Vulcans. However, he does speak in a very emotionless manner, with a bit of rasp as well. The Animated version talks the same way, and has the same actor, but in his disguise as Longarm, he talks much more normally and even has a different accent. The Autobots' computers Teletraan-1 and Teletraan-2 both have fairly inflectionless voices, although 1 always sounds like it's boldly announcing something, and 2 has a more soothing HAL-type voice. Beast Wars: None of the Transformers themselves, but their internal computers (which vocally communicate diagnostic data or warnings of significant damage), as well as the security systems of both factions' bases, communicate in emotionless monotones. Transformers: Animated: Animated Soundwave speaks in complete sentences, which differentiates him from the original. His inflection remains flat and heavily synthesized. His sentences are clipped and precise. His voice remains a tinny monotone under all circumstances. He is Soundwave. Animated Perceptor, who according to Word of God supposedly removed his personality to have more room for information storage. And he's one of the good guys. In fact, his synthesized voice is basically the same as Stephen Hawking. |
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Transformers (Franchise) | hasFeature |
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Machine Monotone / int_ff9ab17f | type |
Machine Monotone | |
Machine Monotone / int_ff9ab17f | comment |
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Although they don't exactly sound like it, the Borg Collective technically speaks in a monotone, albeit a loud, reverberating one. Certainly, their insistence that everything you throw at them is "irrelevant" fits this trope to a T - and they have the ability to back it up. Locutus' speech patterns sound closer to a traditional Creepy Monotone, but he slipped some inflection in there amid the creepy disjointedness. The Borg Queen threw the whole idea out the window. Locutus (a hybrid of types 2 and 3) was specifically intended by the Borg to facilitate "relations" between themselves and the bothersome humans who kept resisting. His inflected speech and referring to Riker as "number one" were poor attempts to put the humans at ease, most likely. Of course, this was even more horrible than if he'd spoken like the other brain-dead, soulless drones. The main computer of the Enterprise-D is less obviously mechanical-sounding than on the original series, but is still a very brisk, businesslike tone. In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Living Witness", an alien historical holo-sim depicts Voyager's doctor as an emotionless killer android with a Creepy Monotone. They had no idea that he's actually a hologram, a Large Ham, and a Jerk with a Heart of Gold. |
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