proto + goo

i have not seen it yet either but i am sure its a technical reason. don't forget the vehicles would get blown away and they would probably lose all communications if they stayed in the temple.

I don't think the xeno's are clever imo anyway, just instinctive and powerful so not able to work out what the back goo is let alone use it.. As for your 2nd point I'd personally rather the safety and familiarity of the ship than an unknown (and very unsafe) alien temple but maybe that's just me blake. Indeed I found the bit where the two geologists are stuck to be quite scary in the sense I did in Black Hawk Down when they Marines were cut off, RS seems to do this well, as I have been cut of working and it was very scary and his take is very real (to me anyway).

there'd be an 'interface' question, certainly with the liplessly-challenging 'flute' tool. :)