Neoplasm

Neoplasm is a hazardous biological fluid produced by the Neoplasia Reactor. It behaves like an infectious sludge: it rapidly spreads into any adjacent tiles that contain water and damages structures that contain or use water, including turrets that require water for cooling. Neoplasm is viscous and heat-resistant; it has a high viscosity and a moderate heat capacity, and it does not have an associated map tile form like most other fluids.

Neoplasm’s in-game origins link it to Phase Fabric and Arkycite through Neoplasia Reactor production chains. Chemical analysis within the game describes it as a synthetic, uncontrollable mass of rapidly dividing cells with a muddy consistency; this biological theme is reflected in its behavior of converting or overrunning water and biological-sounding flavor text. It is currently the only non-gaseous fluid without a dedicated map tile type.

Interactions and technical properties:

• Neoplasm will quickly spread into any tile that contains water or a water tile form; however, Neoplasm puddles do not interact with the tile-form of Water itself. Puddles are the in-world representation and can be removed or overridden by certain tiles.
• Slag tiles and spilled slag puddles can override and effectively destroy Neoplasm puddles. Space and Empty tiles also destroy Neoplasm puddles that spill into them. The Slag Incinerator building does not destroy Neoplasm due to how it interacts with fluids.
• Deconstructing a building spills whatever fluid it held as a puddle. Removing lines or buildings that contain Neoplasm will release puddles, so empty affected pipes and containers of water before deconstruction to reduce spread.
• Neoplasm is viscous enough to stick and persist; its in-game numeric properties include a high viscosity and specific heat-related values (as exposed in technical tables), and it has no downstream products.

Practical handling, containment, and mitigation:

• Prevent Neoplasm from forming puddles on tiles that are adjacent to vital water-carrying infrastructure. The recommended approach is to direct any spilled Neoplasm into slag tiles or slag pools so puddles are immediately destroyed instead of allowed to spread.
• Keep Neoplasm away from open bodies of water and from water-bearing lines. If a node is attacked and forms a puddle, that puddle can spread upstream; using Ducts (Reinforced Bridge Ducts) at maximum spacing reduces upstream spread because puddles that form at an attacked node are less likely to propagate back through long gaps.
• Avoid buffering large amounts of water in single lines. Shorten conveyor or fluid loops using Mass Drivers combined with many Reinforced Liquid Containers to prevent large backlogged volumes that would turn into Neoplasm if contaminated.
• In mix-tech environments, spilled water puddles may be converted into Neoplasm, increasing danger; apply the same containment methods (slag sinks, spacing, emptying lines) in those contexts.
• Remember that simply using the Slag Incinerator building will not destroy Neoplasm; instead rely on slag tiles or letting puddles flow into Space/Empty tiles, or deliberately override puddles with slag spills if acceptable despite material loss.

Strategic notes and trivia:

• Neoplasm is hazardous to any water-using tower or structure and is especially dangerous in networks that rely on water cooling.
• Flavor and lore tie Neoplasm to malignant tumor imagery; the real-world term “neoplasm” refers to abnormal tissue growth, which matches the fluid’s appearance and behavior.
• Production ties to the Neoplasia Reactor suggest a mutation or byproduct relationship with Arkycite and Phase Fabric in the game’s fictional chemistry.