# ParaScope Build Context (Ben's Ghost App)

**Date:** 2026-02-09
**Requested by:** Ben Rocat (benjude._.)
**Product slug:** `digital-entertainment-space-toy-apps-space`
**App name:** ParaScope
**Thread:** Discord #oops channel

## Concept

AI-powered ghost radar / spirit box toy app. Uses LLMs for spirit box words, speech-to-text for audio input, and image generation for ghost overlays on camera. Sells the illusion of paranormal detection using AI.

## Project Location

- **Code:** `/home/aria/projects/parascope/`
- **Product:** `/home/aria/products/digital-entertainment-space-toy-apps-space/`
- **GitHub:** `symphco/parascope` (check if pushed)
- **Port:** 3021 (allocated in caddy-ports.json)
- **Domain:** `parascope.dev.apps.symph.co`

## Tech Stack

- Next.js 15 + TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS v3 + shadcn/ui
- Anthropic SDK (for LLM spirit box responses)
- sam-js (Segment Anything Model — for image segmentation/ghost overlays?)
- No Firebase (standalone app, no auth needed for toy app)

## Features Built

### Pages
- `/` — Home/landing
- `/radar` — Ghost radar with animated pings
- `/spirit-box` — AI-powered spirit box (skeuomorphic hardware UI)

### API
- `/api/spirit-box` — Backend route for LLM-powered spirit box responses

## Git History (3 commits)
1. `600b655` — Initial commit - Parascope paranormal investigation app
2. `f7205ff` — feat(spirit-box): Complete skeuomorphic hardware transformation
3. `de30ead` — fix: dynamic import sam-js to prevent SSR crash

## Build Issues Encountered

1. **MODULE_NOT_FOUND** — `node_modules/next` had issues, needed `npm install` fresh
2. **sam-js SSR crash** — sam-js can't run server-side, fixed with dynamic import
3. **vendor-chunks missing** — `.next/server/vendor-chunks/` directory missing after builds
4. **500 errors on spirit-box page** — Required multiple rebuild attempts
5. **Port conflicts** — Was testing on 3001 (dashboard port), allocated 3021

## Current Status (as of 2026-02-09)

- **App:** NOT running (was stopped)
- **Build:** Last successful build exists in `.next/`
- **Port:** 3021 allocated
- ⚠️ **PRD files in `/prd/` are MetCabinet docs** — They were cloned from starter template and contain MetCabinet discovery, NOT ParaScope. The actual ParaScope discovery is in `/home/aria/products/digital-entertainment-space-toy-apps-space/discovery/`

## Discovery (Completed Earlier)

- **Opportunity Score:** 3.7/5 — GO recommendation
- **TAM:** $180M SAM, highly seasonal (Halloween)
- **Competitors:** Ghost Detector Radar, Necrophonic, GhostTube — none use AI
- **3 PRD options:**
  - Option A: GhostLens AI (camera-first, viral potential)
  - Option B: SpecterBox AI (spirit box-first, fastest build)
  - Option C: ParaScope AI (full investigation suite, best retention)

## Key Decision

Ben chose to build a prototype focusing on spirit box + radar as initial features. The skeuomorphic hardware UI for the spirit box was specifically requested/iterated on.

## Next Steps (if resuming)

1. Start the app on port 3021: `cd /home/aria/projects/parascope && npm run start -- -p 3021`
2. Add camera/ghost overlay feature (was in discovery PRD but not built yet)
3. Improve spirit box AI responses (tune prompts)
4. Add sound effects and haptic feedback
5. Push to GitHub if not already done
6. Consider seasonal launch timing (September for Halloween)

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*Tags: #ben #parascope #ghost-app #build #ai-toy*
