Roadside Research is a bizarre extraterrestrial romp in which you run a rural gas station while trying to act normal, and totally not like an alien at all. With a paper face stuck on your balloon-like head, a sponge on a boot, and some questionable tactics, it’s your job to research the local population, but doing so is risky. 

With the demo available to download and play, your main aim is to stock up on Alien Points that can be used to upgrade your alien tech, helping you better research the customers who enter the premises. Balancing your studies of the humans with your need to stay under the radar can be hard, but there are multiple ways to get Alien Points. 

All details here are accurate for the current demo build of Roadside Research. Updates to this guide will be made if the demo is updated or changes/additions occur once the full game is released.

Trash is a constant source

As soon as you’ve opened the story and customers start flocking in from wherever they come from, you’ll start to notice pieces of trash on the floor. This trash can be collected and placed into the scanner in the alien room to gain Alien Points. Each piece of trash is worth one Alien Point, so this is a pretty slow method, but it is at least constant as long as the store is open. 

You can also purchase the Trash Can and the Auto Trash Can using Alien Points, which will then give you more Alien Points in return. The only difference between the two is that the basic Trash Can needs to be emptied manually (right-click or L2 on Steam Deck), while the Auto Trash Can automatically disintegrates any trash and provides Alien Points instead. Each trash can costs $50 in the Alien Tech section of the Construction menu.

Take photos of the customers

Once you’ve stacked up enough Alien Points, you’ll be able to purchase a new piece of tech: The camera (30 Alien Points). You’ll get four, which go on the wall next to the screen in the alien room, and they can then be used to take photos of customers who come in with targets above their heads. Each photo is worth five Alien Points, so this is a really quick way to stockpile those points!

However, you’ll need to be careful when taking snaps. Taking a photo of someone’s face is a guaranteed way to start filling your suspicion meter, and the same thing happens if anyone else sees you taking a photo of a poor, unsuspecting customer. You’ll need to make sure to take photos from the back, preferably when they’re the only person in the store. It’s also not a good idea to walk around with the camera up to your face.

Camera controls:

• Left-click to equip, and again to take a photo
• Right-click to remove the camera from your face
• E to drop

After you’ve unlocked the basic Camera, you’ll also be able to unlock the Photo Booth for 200 Alien Points, which will collect information on anyone who uses it and give you some Alien Points automatically.

Alien toys are a risky but rewarding option

After unlocking the camera, one of the next available upgrades is Spy Plushies for 90 Alien Points. Once you’ve purchased the upgrade,  you’ll be able to purchase the plushies as stock in either pink or green, costing $32 for 16 plushies. Each plushie purchased will provide you with some Alien Points, but will also push your suspicion meter up. 

It’s a good idea to keep these plushies in stock, but unavailable for purchase, only bringing them out as a last resort if you desperately need some Alien Points for an upgrade.