Make alien artefacts/bodies researchable AFTER dropship returns to base

I think that in a realistic point of view, alien bodies and artefacts retrieved from the crash sites should become available for research AFTER the dropship returns to base. It makes more sense this way.

I've allays assumed it to be a bug that the items didn't need to reach the base before you could research them.

It might be a bug, but then again, it doesn't need to be. If you look at the background picture for the mission end screen, you see quite a complex recovery operation going on - far more seems to be involved in that picture than dumping everything into the dropship the squaddies came out of. Based on that picture, it could be argued that the recovery of goods is deliberately handled separately, at a pace the recovery team can work at, rather than "hurry up! This dropship has to be back at base like NOW!"

Also, because dropships can be shot down, can you imagine how annoying it would be to do a big mission, get a large haul then loose the lot if an errant fighter shot the dropship out of the sky?

Based on that picture, it could be argued that the recovery of goods is deliberately handled separately, at a pace the recovery team can work at, rather than "hurry up! This dropship has to be back at base like NOW!"

Also, because dropships can be shot down, can you imagine how annoying it would be to do a big mission, get a large haul then loose the lot if an errant fighter shot the dropship out of the sky?

I agree with that assumption, but then you could also say that for the transferring of goods between bases. Why need a C17 (which can be shot down also) when the transfer can be arranged by that same "team"!

And that "team" seems to move in light speed, because by the time the mission ends, the artefacts are ready to be researched, when the dropship is still taking off!!!

This is very true. In that case, the other point stands (albeit on it's own). In other Xcom-a-like games and the original Xcom, your dropship couldn't be shot down. Here it can, and those early Chinooks are mighty vulnerable. I would definately be very annoyed if all my swag was shot down with my dropship (while I can imagine backing countries returning my valuable troopers, I can at the same time imagine them looting the downed dropship and saying "Tsh. Sorry fellas. Looks like the only thing to come out of that crash was your soliders. Lucky break, eh?").

If it would be annoying to lose a dropship full of nice alien loot then you have another reason to protect it

I think that in a realistic point of view, alien bodies and artefacts retrieved from the crash sites should become available for research AFTER the dropship returns to base. It makes more sense this way.

Yes, Definitely!

BTW, I didn't know your C-17 could be shot down, but I like the idea.

If anything, the detailed post mission recovery pic would indicate that you don;t get the goodies until a set time after the mission, say 12 hours. That gives the recovery teams time to handle things like power cores as delicately as possible. Not to mention flashygun the locals into forgetfulness.

Maybe it's just my opinion, but I think this is a bit of realism that I could do without. Practically speaking, it makes no difference since we're talking about a starting a days or weeks-long research project an hour or two early. I found it a heck of a lot more convenient--if I know I captured something new, I can start research and then speed up time right away without having to wait in "slow time" for the dropship to return.

I'm not saying I have strong feelings against this idea being implemented; just that I think there's more important things the developers could be spending their time on.

At present, I always wait until the Chinook gets back home before starting a topic. It's something I do out of habit. There are arguments for and against that have decent amounts of validity, so it's not the end of the world.

Can't we assume that the first parts of the research involve sending pictures/reports to the scientists of the artefacts - which they in turn start to draw hypotheses before the artefacts arrive at base?

Can't we assume that the first parts of the research involve sending pictures/reports to the scientists of the artefacts - which they in turn start to draw hypotheses before the artefacts arrive at base?

Imagination is such a convenient thing. It really is

The reason why we've not implemented this is I'm pretty sure it'll cause a whole load of bugs if we do, and we could really do without that

It would be logical that to assume that soldiers would not disassemble UFO ships or handle bodies and cram all the goods into tiny dropship (imagine sticking all the salvaged parts of huge ufo into tinier troop carrier...), but stay on site providing security while bigger teams do the cleanup, and leave with the last of the crews, therefore - most of the stuff might be back at the base by the time dropship takes off from site.

That or they could send photos or descriptions or whatever to the scientists. I mean the first thing the scientists are going to do is examine it, so they may as well get the soldiers to do that, and give them any valuable battlefield information.

Perhaps they're working with that info until the dropship arrives and they get their hands on the real thing?

It would be logical that to assume that soldiers would not disassemble UFO ships or handle bodies and cram all the goods into tiny dropship (imagine sticking all the salvaged parts of huge ufo into tinier troop carrier...), but stay on site providing security while bigger teams do the cleanup, and leave with the last of the crews, therefore - most of the stuff might be back at the base by the time dropship takes off from site.

That makes perfect sense.