Select Language:
In Roadside Research, your main goal is to observe and learn about people. To do this effectively, you need to run a real storefront. Spending extra money won’t hurt, but it doesn’t really help you understand humans better either.
That’s where research comes in. The more you study the humans, the more in-depth your understanding becomes. It’s a continuous cycle—more research leads to better insights. All this effort isn’t wasted, though; it offers great rewards.
Since Roadside Research is still in early access, expect to see new upgrades and methods for earning research points in upcoming updates.
What Are Research Points Used For?
Research points are specifically used to unlock alien upgrades. You can view these upgrades on a monitor in the alien room at the back of the shop. They form a tree of options, where unlocking one upgrade allows you to progress further down its branch.
These upgrades help you open new tools for your shop and introduce new ways to study visitors. Some tools are separate from the tree, located at the top, but most require following the branches.
Once you’ve researched everything, your leftover research points won’t serve much purpose. However, some of the late-game upgrades are quite expensive, so you won’t need to worry about hitting that limit for a while.
Every Way to Get Research
You earn research points mainly by studying humans. Since lots of people visit your shop, there are many opportunities to gather data. But be cautious—too much suspicion can arise if you’re too obvious in your research methods.
Process Trash
One of the simplest ways to gain research is by collecting trash. Humans throw away trash frequently, with each item roughly worth 20 research points. You need to pick up trash one piece at a time and bring it to the Trash Scanner in the alien room at the back.
As you upgrade, you can get Trash Bags, allowing you to pick up multiple pieces at once. Proper trash bins will also encourage humans to put their trash in the right place, making collection easier. Additionally, there’s an upgrade called the Auto-Trashcan that automatically scans your trash, though it raises suspicion.
Take Pictures of Customers
Unlocking the camera allows you to take photos of customers based on three daily criteria. This method yields a lot of research points but increases suspicion if you’re caught snapping photos.
You can improve the camera with upgrades like the Photographic Posing Billboard, where customers will pose for photos willingly, or the Photobooth, which automatically takes pictures. Adding a flash boost will also give you more research points, but the gameplay mechanics remain unchanged.
Record Customers
The next research method is the Video Recorder. Similar to the camera, this device involves capturing footage of customers completing certain actions while trying not to get caught.
Recording takes a few seconds, which makes it easier to get caught, but it provides a significant amount of research points. Upgrades include CCTV cameras, which cover an area but raise suspicion, and 360-degree cameras that automatically record nearby customers—though both increase target suspicion. Improving night visibility on the recorder is another upgrade that boosts research points without impacting gameplay.
Probe Customers
Finally, probing provides the highest research points but also requires direct interaction with humans. Initially, probing involves physical tools used on customers, but upgrades can make the process more autonomous.
One upgrade is a probing trap that automatically probes anyone walking over it, though it needs resetting each time. Another allows you to install a special toilet stall that probes anyone who uses it—a surprisingly common occurrence in your shop—adding a sneaky way to gather data.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
