I actually consider it quite a treat to find someone trying to play on a machine like that. So many players (that I have contact with) have screaming machines in comparison. As mentioned, I haven't looked at the code in ages, but I wouldn't mind looking at it with this sort of thing in mind. At least a once over.
With AliensRL, are you using the version that is just the console? Or the one that has the tileset? I seem to recall Kornel making a non-graphics version of AliensRL available, but don't remember if he made it widely know that it existed. If you're running with the graphics version, I'll go find the link for you. (I seem to recall it was in the release thread in the announcements forum.)