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Overview

Investigations are the core feature of Ghost Planet that allow you to plan, execute, and document paranormal research sessions at haunted locations. Each investigation connects users, locations, and evidence into a comprehensive paranormal research session.

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Investigation Structure

Every investigation in Ghost Planet contains the following information:
FieldTypeDescription
idint64Unique identifier for the investigation
user_idint64The ID of the user conducting the investigation
location_idint64The ID of the location being investigated
phenomenastringDescription of paranormal phenomena being investigated
created_attimestampWhen the investigation was created
evidencearrayCollection of evidence gathered during the investigation
emergency_contactstringEmergency contact information for safety
visibilitybooleanPublic (true) or Private (false) investigation
The emergency_contact field is a critical safety feature. Always provide a trusted contact who can check on you during investigations at remote or dangerous locations.

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Creating an Investigation

Follow these steps to plan and create a new investigation:
1

Select a Location

Choose from the public location database or create a private location. The location provides coordinates, lore, and historical investigation data.
2

Define the Phenomena

Describe what paranormal activity you’re investigating. This could be:
  • Apparitions or shadow figures
  • Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP)
  • Temperature anomalies
  • Object manipulation
  • Unexplained sounds or voices
3

Set Safety Information

Add an emergency contact who can check on you during the investigation. This is especially important for:
  • Solo investigations
  • Remote locations
  • Investigations in abandoned buildings
  • Overnight sessions
4

Choose Visibility

Decide whether this investigation should be:
  • Public: Visible to the Ghost Planet community, contributing to location popularity and shared research
  • Private: Only visible to you, ideal for preliminary research or sensitive locations

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Investigation Workflows

Planning a solo investigation:
  1. Create the investigation with required emergency contact
  2. Review location lore and past investigations from the community
  3. Plan your evidence collection strategy
  4. Conduct the investigation at the location
  5. Upload evidence (photos, audio, notes) linked to the investigation
  6. Set visibility to share findings with the community
Always inform your emergency contact of your exact location and expected return time.

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Investigation Data Model

The Investigation struct in the Ghost Planet backend: 
type Investigation struct {
    ID               int64      `json:"id"`
    UserID           int64      `json:"user,omitempty"`
    LocationID       int64      `json:"location,omitempty"`
    Phenomena        string     `json:"phenomena"`
    CreatedAt        time.Time  `json:"created_at"`
    Evidence         []Evidence `json:"evidence,omitempty"`
    EmergencyContact string     `json:"emergency_contact"`
    Visibility       bool       `json:"visibility"`
}

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Linking Evidence to Investigations

Evidence collection is deeply integrated with investigations:
Every piece of evidence (photos, audio notes, text notes, EVPs) contains an investigation_id field that links it to the parent investigation.This creates a hierarchical structure:
Investigation
├── Location (where)
├── User (who)
├── Phenomena (what)
└── Evidence (proof)
    ├── Photos
    ├── Audio Notes
    ├── Text Notes
    └── EVPs
All evidence uploaded during or after an investigation automatically references the investigation ID, allowing you to:
  • View all evidence from a specific investigation session
  • Track your research progress over time
  • Share complete investigation packages with the community
  • Build a portfolio of paranormal research

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Best Practices

Maximize your investigation success:
  • Review past investigations at the location before visiting
  • Document the phenomena you’re targeting in detail
  • Always include emergency contact information
  • Start with private visibility, then make public after review
  • Link all evidence to the investigation for complete documentation
  • Update location lore with new discoveries

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Investigation Visibility

Visibility controls determine who can see your investigation:
SettingWho Can SeeUse Case
Public (true)All Ghost Planet usersShare findings, contribute to location popularity, build community knowledge
Private (false)Only youPreliminary research, sensitive locations, personal documentation
Public investigations contribute to location popularity ratings and help other investigators plan their research. Consider making investigations public after you’ve reviewed and organized your evidence.

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