Are you sticking purely to ghosts, or ghosts-and-aliens-and-chupacabras-and....?

As I said, I don't actually have any plans to actually implement this in the short term, it's just an idea...

If I were to implement an actual game I would probably include a large range of different "events" in the game -- various types of spirits/ghosts and aliens seem to be the most easily explained and would work in a variety of settings with different types of feedback for players. Anything with a supposedly physical manifestation isn't really suitable, as we can't put actual objects in the world -- but we can simulate all sorts of visuals, mock radiation signatures, audio "at frequencies beyond normal human hearing", etc.


We could give them radiation detectors, a number of different camera modes, some sort of special microphone, EMF meters, and then have all sorts of different activity for different events and/or different stages of a given event.


We could also have more general detections warn the player to look for something more specific in the area -- consider an example where a player is just walking down the street, perhaps not even thinking about the game at the time -- we could alert them with a beep and/or vibration and on-screen-note telling them that "electro-magnetic fluctuations have been detected in your area -- keep an eye out for paranormal activity". If they're busy they can just dismiss the message and continue about their business, but if they're interested they could open up the app and try investigating or keeping an eye out using the other "tools" at their disposal.

It was shorter than saying "in your theoretical concept". ;)

I wasn't sure how to keep them occupied, but telling them there's ghosts or aliens in their washing machine might raise a groan. To add to that, maybe EVP, a la White Noise? Feed them some audio intentionally smothered with static to keep them interested. Would there be a success/fail condition? e.g. solve the mystery of XYZ? Or just "do the mission, get next mission"?

Reminds me of staring at a fish finder on a boat wondering if it wasn't just some programmers twisted joke. Oh there's a big one!

I think you could fudge a number of "phenomena" out of the various inputs. Maybe really simple stuff that's not so apparent to someone not aware of the code. Like instead of overlaying an image on the camera, just guaging the amount of light where cap-on = 0 and pointed at the sun = max value. Then figure some sum of light-ness.

Also unkown logic puzzles would keep things mysterious. Like turning your phone upside down activates some event listener that triggers the next time you press call. Maybe it's a 3-5 step deal so people don't ever realize turning the phone upside down started the event.

Would there be a success/fail condition? e.g. solve the mystery of XYZ? Or just "do the mission, get next mission"?

Probably a bit of both.

Players wouldn't be fixed to a single "mission" at a time -- if they're in a place the system has an event, it's time for it to trigger, and they're using an appropriate tool from the app, they'll be able to detect it and start investigating.

They would also receive tip-offs (you could consider these "missions") from the system -- "we've had reports of <some activity> in your area (or <at specific nearby location>) at around <time>, please investigate if you're able". These would probably be sent to players that don't seem to already be investigating much -- anyone who hasn't detected anything for a day or two -- and should in the majority of cases not be sent to those who are already finding plenty of activity, as they don't need the system to point them in the direction of anything new at least for the time being.


It should always be possible to piece together clues and identify the phenomenon -- "we've collected these energy signatures from another investigator, and in combination with your footage have determined this event to be the presence of a <some specific spirit>, no further action required". The user might receive an award or achievement ("discovered first ghost", "discovered <x> ghosts", "helped identify ghost"), and if you had a concept of XP or anything similar would be given some.

In some -- but not all -- cases it might be possible to somehow do something about your discovery. You might have a few tools that "emit energy signatures to remove <specific type of spirit>", which could only be used after successfully piecing together clues to identify the target correctly. You could also have some spirits that simply want to be acknowledged, and simply researching them successfully would mark them as complete and disable further occurrences of the event. Another idea might be a tool that allows you to "herd" specific spirit types -- to either use them as a predator against some other spirit, or to unite them so that they're satisfied and choose to leave. I'm sure there are plenty of similar ideas that could be expanded on. Again, players would be awarded achievements, xp, etc. for successfully completing any of these.

Also unkown logic puzzles would keep things mysterious. Like turning your phone upside down activates some event listener that triggers the next time you press call. Maybe it's a 3-5 step deal so people don't ever realize turning the phone upside down started the event.

Cool idea!