My Teacher is an Alien Hints & Tips To read this file on-screen, use the Page Down and Page Up keys. You can also print the file by choosing the Print command from the File menu in any Windows word processing program. WARNING: THIS FILE REVEALS ASPECTS OF THE GAME YOU MAY NOT WANT TO DISCOVER BEFORE PLAYING. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU PLAY THE GAME FIRST AND ONLY CONSULT THIS FILE IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE STUCK OR CONFUSED. Hints & Tips includes the following information: I. General Strategy Hints II. Tips for Action Sequences III. Answers to Puzzles IV. Cool Stuff You May Have Missed **************************************************************** I. General Strategy Hints **************************************************************** CHOICE SCREEN At the beginning of every period you can always choose any available character, even though the game defaults to the character you had played in the previous period. Listen to what the characters say when you click the heads - they will not only help you decide which character to choose, but also help you figure out what needs to be done during that period. CONVERSATIONS When speaking to characters in the game, it is not necessary to ask every question available. In fact, in some cases asking the wrong question can get you in trouble. For example, if you tell too many adults about the alien you can be sent to boarding school for spreading rumors. Hit ESC or right click whenever you want to end a conversation, and the remaining dialogue options will disappear. CLASS SCHEDULE Your class schedule, which is available on the icon bar, can be useful to you in many ways: 1) You can check what your assigned class is so you can avoid getting a cut. 2) You can see how many tardies, absences, and detentions you have so you can avoid getting too many. 3) You can cross-reference with the teachers' schedule in the office to help you decide which room to go to. 4) You can see how far into the week you are and therefore how close to finishing the game. ALIEN DEVICE The alien device, which is available on the icon bar, is a very important tool, and using it throughout the game can greatly improve gameplay. The device is separated into three sections which can each be activated by the following buttons. Messages (Top Button) The icon will blink whenever you receive a new message. Listening to these messages help explain various plot points of the game. In order to hear them in English, you must have the universal translator in your inventory. The translator is found in the first room on the spaceship. Once you have it, you do not need to select in from your backpack - it will just work. Maps (Bottom Left Button) By clicking the arrows you can view maps of each of the levels of the spaceship. If you are on the spaceship a red light will blink at your location. Also a body icon will blink wherever a kidnapped kid is located on the spaceship. The colored circles on the map represent the colors of the turbolifts that get you to that level (see SPACESHIP NAVIGATION below). Portal (Bottom Right Button) The map which appears resembles the map of the school on the Choice Screen. A blinking red light appears in the room where the portal is presently located. The portal allows you to transport to the alien spaceship. Clicking the portal button will open the portal no matter where you are and it will stay open for one minute. Ideally, you would open the portal when you are in view of the portal anchor on the wall. ALIEN HUNTER WEB PAGE This in-game web site is where you find out about all the tests to prove which teacher is an alien. New tests appear in the Tests section throughout the game so visit the web more than once to discover all the tests. Once you read about a test, you must go to the Chat area and ask the webmaster what items you need to perform the test. DUCTWORK NAVIGATION A map of the ductwork is located on the Maintenance Room wall in a box attached to the duct switch. When the duct switch is in the up position, you have access to the majority of the ductwork except for the areas over the locker rooms and the library. When the duct switch is in the down position, you have access to the locker rooms. You can enter the ducts in a variety of ways. You must first enter via the Maintenance Room when the janitor is not there. If you exit into another room like a locker room or the kitchen, you can always re-enter from there through the rest of the game, provided that room is empty. SPACESHIP NAVIGATION Although the spaceship corridors all look the same, the locations never move. See ALIEN DEVICE for information on maps of the spaceship. Doors on the right lead to rooms and doors on the left lead to either turbolifts or garbage rooms. The areas of the spaceship include the main level and three other levels accessible via turbolifts. The three different turbolifts are each surrounded by uniquely colored columns. The blue turbolift cannot be used until the end of the game when the control room level is accessible. If you enter a room filled with androids you can escape before they get you. You have about three seconds to click the edge of the screen to turn around and then click the door to leave. **************************************************************** II. Tips for Action Sequences **************************************************************** Action Sequences are all easiest as Duncan and hardest as Peter. If you haven't tried them as Duncan yet, you may want to before reading ahead. You can also practice these sequences in the Practice Room once you've played them in the game. (Except for FALSE ALARM and ANDROID GAUNTLET which are Duncan sequences only.) FALSE ALARM The object is to hit the alarm box four times to set off the alarm before getting three checkmarks from Ms. Marsh. Try to keep your cursor over the alarm box and shoot whenever you get a clear view. You can shoot down the airplane, but you do not have to in order to win. STINK BOMBS It helps to try to move back to the center position after avoiding a stink bomb. Try to notice whose turn it is to throw. The earlier you can pick who is throwing, the faster you can move out of the way. The bombs are almost never thrown across each other. DUCT RATS Don't shoot too much since this sequence is based on how much noise you make. Be patient and wait until the rats are close - some rats are just decoys. Aiming a little high also makes it easier. FAN GRATE Don't shoot too much since this sequence is based on how much noise you make. When you hit the switch to stop the fan, try to line up over the bolts as fast as you can before shooting. EXTEND BRIDGE The object is to line up the symbols of the same color. All three wheels are revolving at the same speed, so once you figure out the timing for one wheel, match that timing for the other two. STUN PODS The stun pods slow down as they change directions, so this is the best time to shoot. The pods have to zap a kid three times before he/she is abducted, so don't panic if there is more than one pod at a time - you don't have to shoot them all. SLIME CREATURE You must shoot the green light pads four times each in order to drain the Slime Creature. You can win as Duncan without ever shooting the Creature itself, but as Susan or Peter you need to protect yourself by shooting at the creature's "arms" when it attacks. Try aiming for the bottom of the "arm." ANDROID GAUNTLET You must shoot each android or stun pod twice in order to blow it up so stay on them. When you get to the engines, you must shoot them so the engine meter goes down before yours does. If you have enough energy when you reach the engines, don't worry about being hit by the androids, just blast away at the engines. **************************************************************** III. Answers to Puzzles **************************************************************** Puzzles are all easiest as Peter and hardest as Duncan. If you haven't tried as Peter yet in the game, you may want to before reading ahead. Especially the WAHOO SEARCH where Peter has the least words to choose from. ROACHES One solution is as follows: Piece #1: 2nd column, 5th row Piece #2: 4th column, 5th row Piece #3: 6th column, 2nd row Piece #4: 6th column, 4th row FORCEFIELD MAZE Solution for left door: Top row - 1st button Middle row - 2nd button Bottom row - 3rd button Solution for middle door: Top row - 3rd button Middle row - 3rd button Bottom row - 1st button Solution for right door: Top row - 2nd button Middle row - 2nd button Bottom row - 1st button WAHOO SEARCH The solution is: Eye Wand Two Believe CRYSTALS Below is a rough version of the solution. /\ \-------\ / \ \ \ / \ \ \ / \ \ \ 1-----\ \ / /\ \ / /-----1 1 \ \ / / \ \ / / 1 1 \ \ / / \ \ / / 1 1 \ \/ / \ \/ / 1 \ \ / \ / / \ 1 1 1 1 / \ 1 1 1 1 / \ 1 1 1 1 / \----1 1--------1 1----/ ----------------------- \ / \ / \ / 1 \ / 1 1 \ \ / /1 1 \ \/ / 1 1 \ / 1 1 / 1 1 / 1 1 / 1 1--------------1 **************************************************************** IV. Cool Stuff You May Have Missed **************************************************************** ALIEN REVEALS Once you know the alien's identity, if you spy on his/her room from the ducts when he/she is alone you will witness the alien pulling its mask off. ABDUCTIONS If you enter the boys' locker room after a boy is called to the gym, or the girls' locker room after a girl is called you will witness an abduction. If you had found the ray gun and alien lenses aboard the spaceship you will be able to attempt to save the kid. TEACHER'S LOUNGE If you win the FAN GRATE, you will gain access to the teachers' lounge from the ductwork. However, you will only be able to enter the lounge once you know the identity of the alien. Once inside you will be able to find the alien's kidnap list and find out who is next to be abducted. ALIEN HUNTER WEB PAGE In addition to finding out the tests to use, there is also a lot of fun stuff on the in-game web site which is updated the first five times you visit. If you had only been to the web once or twice, go back and take a look at all the sightings and artifacts. REASONS FOR REPLAYING ONCE YOU'VE WON 1) Each lead character has a unique win ending. Try all three. 2) The alien can be any of the three teachers. Try a new game and see who it is this time. 3) There are five different tests you can perform. Try out each one and see what happens. 4) Each lead character has unique questions throughout the game. Try choosing different characters at different periods. 5) If you enjoyed any of the action sequences, you can play them all you want in the Practice Room.