Guest blogger

Hello, I am the author of the horror video game blog Scary Pixels and I will be writing about the representation of ghosts in video games.

Ghosts have a long history in videogames, one of the most recognizable being Boo from the Mario universe. Even with their perceived popularity, ghosts appear in very few videogames that ghosts make an appearance each have various representations of what ghosts are and how much influence they have on the world around them.

Video game ghosts are usually portrayed as malicious towards the player are humans in general. An example of this would be Silent Hill 4: The Room, in which ghosts are among the main antagonists and drain player health (Perry, 2004). These spirits do not have any influence over the game world and are similar to residual type of haunting.  In the F.E.A.R. game series, ghostly antagonist Alma exhibits almost total control over the game world and because of this she could be considered more of a poltergeist (McNamara, 2005).

Some games allow you to directly control a ghost as the player character, usually using possession as a gameplay mechanic. In the game Geist for the GameCube, for example, players are the spirit of a recently deceased person who must use the power of possession to inhabit inanimate objects, animals, and humans in order to escape a military complex that is trying to weaponize ghosts—a silly plot, but not every video game needs an award-winning story (Casamassina, 2005). Another game to use possession as a gameplay mechanic is Ghost Trick for the Nintendo DS. The player must use time travel and possess objects in order to save people from an untimely death and solve a murder mystery (Hatfield, 2011). Very few games have used ghosts as protagonists compared to those that use the concept as antagonists.

In the modern gaming market it seems most games shy away from using ghosts, although some exist that portray them in a less-than-favorable light.

References

Perry, D. (September 7, 2004). Silent Hill 4: The Room [Game Review]. Retrieved From: http://ps2.ign.com/articles/545/545387p1.html

McNamara, T. (October 12, 2005). F.E.A.R. [Game Review]. Retrieved From: http://pc.ign.com/articles/657/657310p1.html

Casamassina, M. (August 12, 2005). Geist [Game Review].  Retrieved From: http://cube.ign.com/articles/641/641641p1.html

Hatfield, D. (January 11, 2011). Ghost Trick Review [Game Review]. Retrieved From: http://ds.ign.com/articles/114/1143540p1.html

What to do when you experience phenomena

I mentioned in a previous post that I would post about what you should do when you experience certain types of phenomena, specifically noises and apparitions. 


Noises:
If you are investigating and you hear a noise you should stop for a moment and see if it reoccurs. Whether it reoccurs or not, try to find out where it come from and go to this spot. While at this spot do all you can to figure out what caused the noise. First check any equipment that might have also heard the noise. The begin to check the room for fallen objects and look around the room for things that seem out of place, if you are working with a team ask if they were in the area when you heard the noise. If you still do not know what caused the noise, try to recreate it. You can try dropping objects on the floor, stomping on the ground, or opening and closing doors. 
If you cannot recreate or find a cause for the noise you have experienced paranormal phenomena.*


Shadows/Apparitions:
If you see a shadow or an apparition stop and ask out loud if someone is around. If you get no response, try to think about what could have form what you just saw. Shadows can be causes by lights coming in through windows, or even off equipment that has lights. Like with what you would do when you hear a noise, try to recreate the image. This is easier if you have someone with you**. See if shining a light at a certain angle creates a form or analyze objects and see if they look similar to what you saw. 
If you cannot recreate the image then you may have seen a ghost.*


* If you do not have it caught on equipment it is nothing but a story. Your ears and eyes can play tricks on you.
** For safety and the recreation of images I suggest always investigating with someone else. 

The Amityville house

Would you live at 112 Ocean Ave Amityville, NY 11701?


If you’ve seen the films based on what happened in this house probably would not. But when it comes to hauntings, never trust the media. In this post I will be looking at one of the most infamous haunted houses, the Amityville home located in Amityville, New York. 


So if you have watched the films you know what they think happened, but what actually happened? 



Here is a time line of the home received from homeinfomax.com: ("Basic property report," 2012)

• Jan 14, 1924 - Jan 1960      John & Catherine Moynahan
• Jan 1960 - Oct 16, 1960      Eileen Fitzgerald
• Oct 17, 1960 - June 27, 1965      Joseph & Mary Riley
• June 28, 1965 - Nov 13, 1974      Ronald & Louise DeFeo
• Nov 14, 1974 - Dec 17, 1975      (vacant — owned by DeFeo estate)  
• Dec 18, 1975 - Jan 14, 1976      George & Kathleen Lutz
• Jan 15, 1976 - Aug 29, 1976      (vacant — owned by Lutzes)
• Aug 30, 1976 - March 17, 1977      (vacant — owned by bank)
• March 18, 1977 - Aug 10, 1987      James & Barbara Cromarty
• Aug 11, 1987 - June 9, 1997      Peter & Jeanne O'Neill
• June 10, 1997 - September 2010      Brian Wilson
• September 2010 - present      David & Caroline D'Antonio

As you can see in the list above, there have been several owners of the home, the story behind the home rest with the DeFeo family and the Lutz family. 

“On the night of November 14, 1974, 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo, Jr., took his rifle and shot his farther. Within the next 15 minutes, he would murder all six members of his family. The brutal crime made headlines in many newspapers. Unfortunately, this was not the last time people would hear about the shocking events taking place in the home.” (Williams, 2008)

"On December 18, 1975, the Lutz family moved into the DeFeo home." ("The amityville murders," 2006)

During their stay the Lutz family experienced:

• Threatening and malicious voices,
• Drastic personality changes, 
• Phantom smells, 
• Green slime that dripped from the walls, 
• Black stains on toilets that could not be removed, 
• Hundreds of random flies despite it being the dead of winter, 
• An upside down crucifix, 
• Physical abuse and changes,
• Hallucinations, 
• Invisible forces that caused property damage, and
• The Lutz family dog, Harry, became lethargic even though her was known to be very active (Anson, 1977)

Also, "The youngest child, Missy, described speaking to "an angel" that was living in her room. This angel, Missy claims, was named 'Jodie'. Jodie was able to present itself as a "large pig" to Missy and change shape and form at will. George and Kathy claimed to have witnessed two red eyes peering in at them from the upstairs bedroom window. Missy believed it was Jodie wanting to come inside." ("The story ," 2012) 

Are the Lutz family's claims valid? Many still argue today that they are not and some believe that they are. I personally would love to investigate the home and find some real evidence. Would you?

Resources

Anson, J. (1977). The amityville horror. New York : Simon & Schuster, Inc.


Basic property report. (2012). Retrieved from https://www.homeinfomax.com/cgi-bin/generateReport.cgi

Capitalizing on a Tragedy (2006). Retrieved from http://www.amityvillemurders.com/capitalizing.html

The story. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.amityvillefiles.com/haunting/

Williams, D. (2008). Haunted houses. (p. 17). New York : Bearport Publishing Company. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Ut9vPvOhnRcC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=the amityville house murders&ots=KQyOyCy0kr&sig=v01KwtQWDFVaY0nwy04zn0b5bJQ

Electromagnetic fields and the paranormal

In this post I will give you a general scientific definition of what electromagnetic fields are and why they are an important topic to know about when investigating the paranormal. 

Electromagnetic fields, also known as EMFs, “are the areas of energy that surrounds electrical devices.” ("Electromagnetic fields," 2010) These devices give off electrical and magnetic waves and these waves, at high levels, can affect a person’s wellbeing. 


Household appliances that can give off EMFs are:
• Circuit breakers,
• Air conditioners,
• In-floor electrical heating,
• Fluorescent lighting,
• Halogen ceiling down or “can” lights,
• Electric sockets,
• Cordless phones,
• Telephone landlines, and
• TVs & computers
(Design Products, 2010)


EMFs can be found everywhere. Even our human bodies give off EMFs because of the body’s chemical functions.


So what do EMFs have to do with the paranormal? Well “electromagnetic Fields (EMF’s) have been a hot topic in the field of the paranormal for many years. “Ghost Hunters” and “Paranormal Investigators” have been using EMF detection devices for quite some time in order to help corroborate or rule out supposed, alleged, or real paranormal experiences.” (Cogswell, 2012)


“…humans have an electromagnetic field and in death the theory is that as a "ghost" what remains is your energy that gives off an electromagnetic field.” (Northeast Forensic Paranormal Research, 2010)
Knowing some of the theories about EMFs and the paranormal, help you understand how to either use EMF readings as a form of evidence or as a way to disprove paranormal activity. I personally use EMF readings as a way to disprove paranormal phenomena. 


High levels of EMFs can cause people to feel like they are being watched and/or depressed. EMFs can also cause people to feel depressed for no reason. If you have a location with these sorts of claims it is vital that you check the location for high levels of electromagnetic fields. 


If you ever come across high levels of EMF, be sure to inform whoever may be affected by these fields and advise them to have the location looked at by a professional. (Robson, 2008)


**THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THIS PAGE IS ONLY DESCRIBING POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO PARANORMAL ACTIVITY AND IS NOT MEANT TO DIAGNOSIS, REFER, OR RECOMMEND TREATMENT. AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONTACT A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL FOR ANY SYMPTOMS.** 


Citations:


Cogswell, B. (2012). Emfs and the paranormal: Indicator, cause, or gateway?. Retrieved from http://www.paranormalsocieties.com/articles/emf-and-the-paranormal.cfm


Design Products, D. (2010). Emf: home protection - protect your house from emf. Retrieved from http://www.safespaceprotection.com/electrostress-from-home-appliances.aspx


Electromagnetic fields. (2010, June 27). Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/electromagneticfields.html


Electromagnetic fields also known as emfs and the paranormal. (2010, 02 09). Retrieved from http://www.northeastforensicparanormal.com/apps/blog/entries/show/2818260-electromagnetic-fields-also-known-as-emfs-and-the-paranormal-


Robson, T. (2008). When is it not a haunting?. Retrieved from http://www.seohiopi.com/Not_a_Haunting_.html

How to conduct a paranormal investigation

In this post I will list the steps one should go through when investigating a haunted house. This post will not be covering the things one would need to do to set up an investigation, what to do when you experience phenomena, or what to do after your investigation. I will look at these in another post. The steps and ideas are the same for buildings or parks/outdoor areas. 


Before beginning an investigation walk around the home with the lights on so that you get a general feel for the house and make sure the house is clear of people and pets. While doing your initial walkthrough get a temperature reading so that you can recognize any “cold spots” you may have during your investigation. Be sure to turn off all light such as TVs or computers.


The investigation:


1. Walk into an area which the owner(s) claims to have experience phenomena and take a few pictures of the room.


2. Turn your video camera on and announce that you are not there to harass or cause harm and you expect the same for yourself and everyone with you.


3. Begin asking questions for signs of the paranormal to reveal that it exists.


4. While listening carefully look around the room with the video camera


5. Continue steps 3 and 4 for as long as you feel necessary, if you feel that a room is not haunted move on to the next until you have investigated the entire home. 


If you have questions please feel free to ask in the comments area and I will reply as soon as possible. 


Happy hunting!

Interview with Tony from Texas Paranormal Research Team

This is an interview of Tony from Texas Paranormal Research Team 

Me- What natural events, have you found, can easily be mistaken as paranormal phenomena?

Tony- Extreme amounts of electromagnetic energy(EMF) can cause a person to feel ill, paranoid, and cause hallucinations amongst other things. Almost all of which can make someone believe they are being haunted. Things like plumbing, a house settling, different kinds of flooring , and other “house noises” can lead a person to think that something paranormal is occurring.

Me- What is the first thing you do when phenomena happens during an investigation?

Tony- We do not yell or get overly excited, because we actually inform the spirits before an investigation that we are expecting them to interact and that we are not there for a "scare show." We may move slowly towards the area that something occurred or ask it to come visit us and come out of the shadows, but for the most part we do not chase occurrences or act in threatening manners.

Me- Do you and your team use photography as a medium?

Tony- We do, but photos are so easily modified and most often discounted by the paranormal community (peers). We do document the places we investigate with photos for future references and do snap several shots over our shoulders walking by or leaving rooms just to see what we get. So in short we do, but we do not put much stock in it unless it is over the top obvious.

Me- What is your attitude when doing an investigation?
Tony- In most cases we arrive with an open mind, not with an every place we visit is haunted outlook. We divide our onsite team into groups based upon experience to keep things on the right pace for what we are there to attempt to do. Very few cases do we arrive with the thoughts of provoking or trying to excite the spirits to get activity.

Early beginnings of paranormal photography

In his book Photography and Spirit, John Harvey’s first words are, “There are spirits – and they can be photographed.” (Harvey, 2007) This is a common thought for many people who believe in ghosts and it is now thought that the “coming together of photography and spirit [allies] modern technology to ancient believe and apparatus to apparitions,” (Harvey, 2007)

In the early 1800s, experiments to combine the separation of light and dark and a set of light sensing chemicals to produce photographs started. Despite the difficuly of the task, in 1839 scientist created the first photographical method known as daguerrotype imaging. This is where is all started and the development of photography is still going on today. (History, 2001) But when did it become a medium for the paranormal? 

The first “unexplainable” ghost photograph is said to have been taken by W. Campbell of Jersey City, New Jersey in 1860. (Prairie Ghosts, 2008) The story behind Campbell’s photography is that he took a picture of an empty chair, but once the photograph was developed it revealed an image of a small boy sitting in the chair. Unfortunately for Campbell he could not recreate the photograph and therefore was not well remembered by historians of art. (Paranormal-encyclopedia, 2012)

The most well-known ghost photograph was taken by the Boston photographer, William H. Mumler(Figure 1). (Radford, 2011) He began producing “spirit photographs” in 1861 and continued to produce until being revealed as a “hoaxer”. The ghosts he claimed to have captured were merely double exposures of previous clients. (Radford, 2011)

“Despite ever-increasing technology, real photographic proof of ghosts remains as elusive as ever.” (Radford, 2011)

The following picture was taken by William Mumler.

© 2000 The American Photography Museum, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Used by Permission.
Figure 1

You can find more of Mumler's photographs on  The American Museum of Photography's website.

References

Harvey, J. (2007). Photography and spirit. London, England: Reaktion Books Ltd.

Fi.edu. The History of Photography. (2001). Retrieved from http://fi.edu/pieces/watson/hist.htm

Mumler, William. Master herrod in a trance. his spiritual body withdrawn and appears behind. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.photographymuseum.com/mumler.html

Paranormal-encyclopedia. A Brief History of Paranormal Photography. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.paranormal-encyclopedia.com/p/photography/history.html

Radford, B. (2011). When Did the First 'Ghost Photos' Appear?. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/11699-ghost-photos.html

Taylor, T. Spirit photography. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.prairieghosts.com/ph_history.html