What do the "fog pods" do?

[Saryn]

When I first saw the strange alien pods that fell to Earth in the intro, I got really interested in them but I had a little fear for them after seeing what it did to the two civilians who were being pulled closer towards to the pods but never seeing what it does to them, Only seeing the civilians covered in strange green stuff and later seeing aliens messing with them. I know they're used for abductions but I'm still curious on how they work.

[Amanoob105]

The game never really tells us. It's likely just being left up to the imagination to help spark forums posts just like this one .

What little I can tell;
We know that the "gas" they release can grab and pull people in so they are, obviously, for abductions.
And when on any abduction missions we can find bodys wrapped up in some green stringy "stuff".

So, conclusion;
The pods are dropped into an area with humans, the "gas" grabs a bunch of people, subdues them, warps them up (with those last two likely being largley the same action) and then leaves them for a squad of the aliens to come and collect.

[Saryn]

Originally posted by Amanoob105:

The game never really tells us. It's likely just being left up to the imagination to help spark forums posts just like this one .

What little I can tell;
We know that the "gas" they release can grab and pull people in so they are, obviously, for abductions.
And when on any abduction missions we can find bodys wrapped up in some green stringy "stuff".

So, conclusion;
The pods are dropped into an area with humans, the "gas" grabs a bunch of people, subdues them, warps them up (with those last two likely being largley the same action) and then leaves them for a squad of the aliens to come and collect.

That is actually pretty scary, Especially what it does to people which makes them "The Lost".

[TwinuX]

Presumably, the chemical or biological agents in those canisters leave their victims in a comatose state, but without being delicate about it.

I never really paid any attention to it, but it appears that, without the magics of the ayys' tech, the process cannot be effectively reversed by XCOM, so the victims are as good as dead regardless.
That'd at least explain why nobody cares if you hit 'em with rockets or grenades, lul.

As for the Lost, they were supposedly thanks to long-term exposure to the released gasses, and are very likely just an unforeseen consequence on the Ethereal's part. Not that the Ethereals ever bothered to think far into the future, apparently, much as though they'd like to claim otherwise.

[red255]

basically alien date rape chemicals used in abductions.

also prolonged exposure leads to the lost.