I think I know why the Thargoids want occupied space pods. [SPOILERS / LORE]

[AnchorWriter]

If we assume the devs are following along the track of relatively "alien" aliens, we have been looking at the analysis all wrong. A biomechanical species that would kidnap humans in the 34th century would analyse them from the perspectives of

Spoiler:

diseases, organ function, and genetic mutations or similarities

...and that's where the trouble starts. Given our bodies are mostly made up of water, and Thargoids are from ammonia worlds, you'd think that would be an issue, particularly since

Spoiler

ammonia-based life wouldn't contain bonded carbon in their structure as we already do...but we do have viruses, which are made up of particles called virions, that wouldn't suffer in ammonia, and can act as organic buidling blocks.

This wouldn't be like the Far God Cult members desiring to be changed into Thargoids themselves, but likely far simpler, and far worse.
Once the Thargs open up those pods, they'll find

Spoiler

all the things which have kept humans alive beyond a century, along with the special commodities that have kept the bubble booming...stuff like Vega Slimweed, or whatever undigested Mokojing Beast Feast (containing trace elements of over two hundred and twenty three confirmed man-eater species) or Mukusubii Chitin-Os would be in the humans' bellies. And that's not including the Mulachi Giant Fungus, a megaflora that can cover entire continents that's harvested as a delicacy.

Given the history of cloning in Elite lore, there'd be engough abducted humans

Spoiler

to be used as control groups for bioweapons, or for analyzing divergence via exposure to medications and diseases.

In the end, the Thargoids wouldn't need ourselves to construct an army , when they would already have

Spoiler

our guts.

 

[DemiserofD]

I myself find it highly suspicious that the new classes of Interceptor come out, and immediately following that, they need to dramatically scale up the number of humans that they are harvesting. I don't know if they're in one piece or not, but I would not be at all surprised to find out that the new classes of Interceptor are being piloted by human brains.

This would have the fortunate side effect of potentially allowing us to fly them ourselves at some point in the future.

 

[Schmack]

I've decided the Thargoids are the white walkers, they need to multiply and cannot procreate.

 

[EdzUp]

We are the processors of their ships so basically we are killing the people in occupied escape pods by killing Thargoids

 

[metatheurgist]

I've decided the Thargoids are the white walkers, they need to multiply and cannot procreate.

Or maybe they've discovered that human 'horns' are an aphrodisiac, they're just having some trouble differentiating the sexes.

 

[Shadowsnog]

my fav take on this is that goids, being the adaptation masters, developed scythe so they too can start "tissue sampling" the war away

 

[Ultra Fluffy]

Or FDev could be

• Introducing hostage rescue missions.
• Adding prison breaks that are needed if your ship gets destroyed and you get picked up by Thargoids.
• Providing Thargoid ships with decorations that they can sell to the Thargoids for ARKs.
• Extending a lore narrative, with no game mechanics associated.

 

[Iron Body]

Given all the spoilers in the OP , I was at least expecting some gruesome pictures of human/thardoig/steam punk chimeras.

 

[Walter2]

Thargoid scientists are just reviving an ancient practice that fell out of favour amongst aliens in the 20th century.

Spoiler

The subtle art of the anal probe.

 

[Weps]

In the end, the Thargoids' plan succeeds. In a single Tuesday update 06:00 - 16:00 (approx)TM BST, they

Spoiler

wipe out most humans with their bioweapon.

Cue music.
Elite Dangerous: Survival

 

[William J Smith]

Or maybe they've discovered that human 'horns' are an aphrodisiac, they're just having some trouble differentiating the sexes.

Just dont tell them about the smaller lower horn and we'll be ok

Bill

<<<buying shares in a codpiece manufacturer

 

[Shadowsnog]

Given all the spoilers in the OP , I was at least expecting some gruesome pictures of human/thardoig/steam punk chimeras.

consider yourself warned

First look: THE SCYTHE!!! (New Thargoid ship)

not to the players you call "minmaxers". I wanted to add: It comes across a bit, but it is not meant as an insult. But it is exactly what the winning players do - playing the system to maximize the outcome at a minimum of effort.

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[Schmack]

Or maybe they've discovered that human 'horns' are an aphrodisiac, they're just having some trouble differentiating the sexes.

By 33XX year, there might not be a difference.

 

[Schmack]

We are the processors of their ships so basically we are killing the people in occupied escape pods by killing Thargoids

 

[Darth Ender]

an ancient, highly evolved space race isn't going to need human brain to act as cpu's or batteries for technology they used before humans existed.

they wouldn't need tons when they would be masters of cloning.

but of course, this is a story fdev is telling so trying to guess where it's going based on anything observed or assumed is as likely as a coin toss.

 

[Scoob]

Perhaps they're just trying to find someone who knows where Raxxla is...

 

[Esteban]

Perhaps they're just trying to find someone who knows where Raxxla is...

...in that case we (humanity) better get together and agree on what we're going to tell them.

: What did your prisoner say?
: The same thing yours did, man. Some out-of-the-way, nothing system just left of Coelrind and up a little bit.
: But there's nothing there, man!
<shrugs>: I know!
: Get the next one in here! See what it says.

We'll keep 'em guessing for a while anyway. Oh, shoot- they don't read these forums, do they?

 

[Greasetrap42]

If we assume the devs are following along the track of relatively "alien" aliens, we have been looking at the analysis all wrong. A biomechanical species that would kidnap humans in the 34th century would analyse them from the perspectives of...

Sorry to be a Negative Nancy, but I think you have put more thought into Thargoid motives than FDev has.

Ok, not fair. Maybe some individuals at FDev have put lots of thought into it over the years, but IMO they are not collectively following an internal agreed upon long term comprehensive guideline that sets down the descriptions and behaviors of various things in the galaxy. If I am correct then anything can happen for any made-up reason without regard to consistancies or logic. Just my opinion. (ie: video game being developed on a month-to-month basis)

 

[CMDR Timber McWolf]

video game being developed on a month-to-month basis)

That doesn't work on this scale.

 

[Greasetrap42]

That doesn't work on this scale.

Based on what we have seen since the launch of Odessey, it does. Obviously, otherwise we would have no updates. Sure they might hold off on making many decision for several months... and some development takes longer. But in context of this thread, I do not believe the behavior and resulting actions [and their available technologies, resources, and capabilities] of the Thargoids is based on any kind of descriptive playbook thought out years ago and now being followed. Rather it is the current in-house story tellers making up what they need to drive the game in today's direction.

Just my opinion based on what I see. Maybe FDev does have a huge binder describing various aspects of the future galaxy that the various story tellers must I adhere to. But I don't think so.