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Overview

Evidence collection is the backbone of paranormal research on Ghost Planet. The platform supports four types of evidence to document your investigations: photos, audio recordings, text notes, and Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs).

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Evidence Types

Ghost Planet organizes evidence into a parent Evidence record with associated media items: 
type Evidence struct {
    ID              int64     `json:"id"`
    InvestigationID int64     `json:"investigation_id"`
    LocationID      int64     `json:"location_id"`
    CreatedByUserID int64     `json:"created_by_user_id"`
    CreatedAt       time.Time `json:"created_at"`
    Visibility      bool      `json:"visibility"`
    Version         int32     `json:"version"`
}
Each evidence item is linked to both an investigation and a location, allowing you to organize evidence by research session or by location.

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Photo Evidence

Capture visual paranormal phenomena with photo evidence.

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Photo Structure

type Photo struct {
    ID            int64     `json:"id"`
    EvidenceID    int64     `json:"evidence_id"`
    SourceURL     string    `json:"source_url"`
    ThumbnailURL  string    `json:"thumbnail_url"`
    Caption       string    `json:"caption"`
    FileType      string    `json:"file_type"`
    FileSizeBytes int64     `json:"file_size_bytes"`
    CreatedAt     time.Time `json:"created_at"`
}

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Photo Requirements

FieldRequirementValidation
Source URLRequiredMax 2000 bytes
File TypeRequiredjpeg, jpg, png, webp
File SizeRequired1 byte to 5 MB
CaptionRequiredMax 500 bytes
ThumbnailAuto-generatedSystem creates optimized thumbnail
1

Capture the Photo

Take photos during your investigation of:
  • Orbs or light anomalies
  • Shadow figures or apparitions
  • Environmental changes (fog, mist)
  • Equipment readings (EMF meters, temperature)
2

Upload to Ghost Planet

Upload photos with supported formats: JPEG, JPG, PNG, or WebPMaximum file size: 5 MB per photo
3

Add Context

Write a descriptive caption explaining:
  • What the photo shows
  • When it was taken during the investigation
  • Equipment settings used
  • Environmental conditions
4

Link to Investigation

Connect the photo to your investigation for organized evidence tracking.
Photos larger than 5 MB will be rejected. Compress high-resolution images before uploading.

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Audio Evidence

Record ambient sounds, investigator notes, and potential paranormal audio during investigations.

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Audio Structure

type AudioNote struct {
    ID            int64         `json:"id"`
    EvidenceID    int64         `json:"evidence_id"`
    Title         string        `json:"title"`
    SourceURL     string        `json:"source_url"`
    Duration      time.Duration `json:"duration"`
    FileSizeBytes int64         `json:"file_size_bytes"`
    IsEVP         bool          `json:"is_evp"`
    CreatedAt     time.Time     `json:"created_at"`
}

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Audio Requirements

FieldRequirementValidation
Source URLRequiredMax 2000 bytes
File SizeRequired1 byte to 5 MB
TitleOptionalDescribe the recording
DurationAuto-detectedSystem extracts from file
Is EVPUser-specifiedMark as Electronic Voice Phenomena
Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) are sounds found on electronic recordings that resemble speech, but are not the result of intentional recording or known sources.EVPs are often:
  • Discovered during playback review
  • Not heard during the live investigation
  • Analyzed with audio software for clarity
  • Categorized by quality (Class A, B, C)
Mark audio as EVP using the is_evp flag to separate potential paranormal audio from regular investigation recordings.

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Recording Best Practices

Capture high-quality audio evidence:
  • Use external microphones for better sensitivity
  • Record in WAV or high-bitrate MP3 for clarity
  • Note exact time and location of recordings
  • Include control recordings (background noise baseline)
  • Mark potential EVPs for later analysis
  • Keep file sizes under 5 MB (compress if needed)

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Text Notes

Document observations, environmental conditions, and investigation progress with detailed text notes.

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Text Note Structure

type TextNote struct {
    ID         int64     `json:"id"`
    EvidenceID int64     `json:"evidence_id"`
    Subject    string    `json:"subject"`
    Body       string    `json:"body"`
    LocationID int64     `json:"location_id"`
    CreatedAt  time.Time `json:"created_at"`
}

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Text Note Requirements

FieldRequirementValidation
SubjectRequiredMax 500 bytes
BodyRequiredMax 10,000 bytes
Location IDOptionalLinks note to specific location

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What to Document

Record baseline and anomalous conditions:
  • Temperature readings
  • Humidity levels
  • Barometric pressure
  • EMF (Electromagnetic Field) readings
  • Time of day and moon phase
  • Weather conditions
Text notes support up to 10,000 bytes in the body field, allowing for detailed documentation. Use the subject line to categorize notes (e.g., “Temperature Anomaly - 2nd Floor”, “EVP Session - Basement”).

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Evidence Workflow

The complete evidence collection process:
1

Create Investigation

Start by creating an investigation at your chosen location.
2

Gather Evidence

During the investigation, collect:
  • Photos of anomalies or equipment readings
  • Audio recordings of the environment and potential EVPs
  • Text notes documenting observations and conditions
3

Upload and Organize

After the investigation:
  • Upload photos with descriptive captions
  • Upload audio files, marking EVPs separately
  • Create text notes summarizing findings
  • Link all evidence to the investigation ID
4

Review and Analyze

Review uploaded evidence:
  • Analyze audio for EVPs
  • Enhance photos for clarity
  • Cross-reference timestamps across evidence types
  • Update text notes with analysis results
5

Set Visibility

Choose to keep evidence private or share with the community.

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Evidence Synchronization

Ghost Planet uses a transactional sync system to ensure data integrity: 
func (e EvidenceModel) FullSync(evidence *Evidence, 
                                 audioNotes []AudioNote, 
                                 textNotes []TextNote, 
                                 photos []Photo) error
This FullSync method:
  • Creates the parent Evidence record
  • Inserts all associated photos, audio, and text notes
  • Uses database transactions for atomic operations
  • Rolls back on any failure to maintain data consistency
The atomic transaction ensures that all evidence types are saved together. If any upload fails, the entire evidence package is rolled back, preventing partial data loss.

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File Size Limits

All media files have a maximum size of 5 MB:
Evidence TypeMax SizeRecommended Format
Photos5 MBJPEG, PNG (compressed)
Audio5 MBMP3 (192kbps or lower)
Text Notes10,000 bytesPlain text
Files exceeding 5 MB will be rejected during upload. Use compression tools to reduce file sizes while maintaining quality:
  • Photos: Use JPEG with 80-90% quality
  • Audio: Use MP3 with 128-192 kbps bitrate

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Evidence Versioning

The Evidence model includes a version field for optimistic locking: 
Version int32 `json:"version"`
This prevents concurrent update conflicts when multiple users contribute evidence to the same investigation.

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