The Xenomorph Pheropod is too easy to get

[Belanos]

Sometimes I'll be able to use it after the very first alien I kill. It stands to reason that you shouldn't be able to pop it until after you've built the Xenology Accomplishment.

[greatUnknown]

The logic seems to be that after a while, capturing aliens becomes useless, since even minimally-advanced
units are more powerful. So, make it available immediately.

BTW, I always got the pheropod with my first alien kill; you imply that your experience is different.

[boulugre]

The logic seems to be that after a while, capturing aliens becomes useless, since even minimally-advanced
units are more powerful. So, make it available immediately.

BTW, I always got the pheropod with my first alien kill; you imply that your experience is different.

I think all alien race doesn't give it. I am sure the flying strenght 2 ones doesn't provides it, not so sure about the spitter and queen.

But I disagree with OP, xenomorph pheropod is fine as it is now.

[jdmillard]

I thought that you only get the pheropod after killing a drone. I could be wrong because I never specifically watched for it.

[boulugre]

I thought that you only get the pheropod after killing a drone. I could be wrong because I never specifically watched for it.

Could be only drone, and you also get it even if you lose your first encounter with the drones, don't necessarily need to kill it.

[Belanos]

There seems to be something weird about using that thing. I built myself some Xeno Troopers to capture some drones and after they had done their thing I tried refitting them to regular Colonial Troopers, which I've given the defensive device to. But for some reason the refit didn't work, which meant they were pretty useless after capturing the alien. Not really worth the expense involved in building them in the first place.

[jdmillard]

There seems to be something weird about using that thing. I built myself some Xeno Troopers to capture some drones and after they had done their thing I tried refitting them to regular Colonial Troopers, which I've given the defensive device to. But for some reason the refit didn't work, which meant they were pretty useless after capturing the alien. Not really worth the expense involved in building them in the first place.

I don't know if it has changed in the last patch, but I know I've refit them successfully before without a problem.

[ErissN6]

I built some Xeno Troopers to capture some drones and after they had done their thing I tried refitting them to regular Colonial Troopers, which I've given the defensive device to. But for some reason the refit didn't work, which meant they were pretty useless after capturing the alien. Not really worth the expense involved in building them in the first place.

Yes, one submitted alien per Xeno Trooper is not enough. With the research of the capture tool, there should be given:
. one or more free space for captured aliens (foremore it would be an immediate hint for newbs about the feature)
. a kind of hive to be built in town, giving some added spaces
. still, a Xeno Trooper would add one space

This may be better than giving several spaces per X-Trooper instead of a sole one.

[kidpython]

With the research of the capture tool, there should be given:
. one or more free space for captured aliens (foremore it would be an immediate hint for newbs about the feature)
. a kind of hive to be built in town, giving some added spaces
. still, a Xeno Trooper would add one space

This may be better than giving several spaces per X-Trooper instead of a sole one.

Interesting thought. Here is my elaboration on it:
1) A new thing for a former to build called a ranch.
2) Converted aliens can only heal in a ranch.
3) The ranch adds 1 to the limit of convertible aliens.

Now we have something new to do with those pesky desert tiles.

[greatUnknown]

Another suggestion:

Devourers and Apidochs would actually make useful "pets". IF we could put them into hunting mode
to wander around eating units of other factions. Perhaps with authorization required before they actually
sat down for the meal.

Or, as has been noted by others, if we could set them to auto-explore.

[Belanos]

Another suggestion:
Or, as has been noted by others, if we could set them to auto-explore.

I keep seeing people mention that. Is there some sort of trick to it because I can't get it to work. I've tried pressing the X key as the readme mentions but nothing happens. And there's no button on the HUD to press for it.

As for my take on the device, I think it should just be dropped completely. IMO it's really not worth the trouble you have to go through for it. Aliens are only useful in the early part of the game, after that it's pretty much pointless to have them around.

[greatUnknown]

There's no trick. Because it simply hasn't been implemented in the program. Remember, in a very
real sense, you are a beta tester.