[1.2] Transport pod gift fails if pod contains animals

[Frogging101]

Sending a transport pod as a gift to another faction will not yield any relations gain if the transport pod contains animals. It does not matter if the pod contains any other items as well. All items will be lost but relations will not change.

Reproduction steps:

• Build transport pod launcher and transport pod
• Load any animal into the pod.
• Send pod as gift to any other faction's settlement

Before sending the pod, the text next to the cursor on the map will correctly show the relations gain that should occur, but relations do not change when the pod arrives, and an error is also generated (see attached log file).

Exception in transport pods arrival action: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at RimWorld.Planet.FactionGiftUtility.GiveGiftInternal (Verse.Thing thing, System.Int32 count, RimWorld.Faction giveTo) [0x00019] in <64e18a81024640d8bdfb3f18f6a770bf>:0
  at RimWorld.Planet.FactionGiftUtility.GiveGift (System.Collections.Generic.List`1[T] pods, RimWorld.Planet.Settlement giveTo) [0x00042] in <64e18a81024640d8bdfb3f18f6a770bf>:0
  at RimWorld.Planet.TransportPodsArrivalAction_GiveGift.Arrived (System.Collections.Generic.List`1[T] pods, System.Int32 tile) [0x000ef] in <64e18a81024640d8bdfb3f18f6a770bf>:0
  at RimWorld.Planet.TravelingTransportPods.DoArrivalAction () [0x00042] in <64e18a81024640d8bdfb3f18f6a770bf>:0

A user on Reddit made the following observations back in September 2020 (when 1.2.2753 was current). I also personally remember noticing this issue around that time.

This just happened to me as well... The "give as gift" button showed (+49) and yet nothing happened once it sent... I wonder if it has something to do with the recent update since it worked fine before???

Edit: Also playing Vanilla aside from extra carpet colors

Edit 2: Decided to do some testing sending various transport pods... For example, did anyone having this problem include any animals in your gift? For some reason the bug only occurs when animals are included (that I've noticed). I tried 6 different kinds of gifts.

1) A single $12,000 colonist -> was able to bring any faction to 100

2) A $550 horse (also tested with puppies and piglets) -> 0 goodwill despite saying it would give (X) amount

3) 10 Packaged survival meals -> gave the correct amount of goodwill

4) 75 Thrumbofur -> also gave the correct amount of goodwill

5) 75 Thrumbofur + $550 horse -> gave 0 goodwill just like in #2

6) 1 colonist + a few puppies (sent as a caravan to VISIT the city then walk back) -> gave the correct amount of goodwill

TL;DR: For some reason, any gifts containing animals need to be given in "person" otherwise it causes the entire transport pod to give 0 goodwill.

A similar report was made to this forum as well (and this is probably the same bug): https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=53171.0

[Pheanox]

I will verify, but I believe this is because of the trick of loading boomalopes on to pods and then launching them, causes them to die on impact and explode, making them a makeshift very accurate mortar.

Edit:  After consultation, this is a bug, thanks for the report, I'll make sure it's added to the list.