Ooze
The Ooze is a game mechanic that was introduced in The Iron Rig DLC. It appears as a black film of fluid with red and green highlights on top of the water's surface. Faint human skull shapes can be seen flowing within the highlights. It is based on Siliceous Ooze.
Appearances
As the player progresses through the story of The Iron Rig DLC, a red rift spreads to each five main regions of the game. As the rift reaches a region, the Ooze appears in four to five fields, which are marked on the map. The Foreman can direct the player to any remaining ooze patches on the map. Initiating this dialogue while all ooze has already been cleaned causes the ooze to respawn in a region and directs the player there.
Fish
Each of the Ooze fields has two to three of the four fish species of that region. These fish are the various additions from The Iron Rig DLC and require advanced rods to catch. However, these spawn points will continue to replenish even if the ooze has been removed.
Crab pots do not need to be placed near an ooze field in order to catch the new species of crabs for that region.
Effects
The player can sail through the Ooze at 65% of their current engine speed. Speed is not reduced if the player is using the Siphon Trawler, though the game's detection isn't always accurate.
Inside the ooze, various actions may deposit some of the ooze onto your boat. When this happens, a message reads, "A dark ooze has landed in your cargohold", and a Dark Splash is added to the player's cargo in a random unoccupied slot.
While playing any of the catching minigames in ooze, including those of the region's normal fish, there will be thick, black gunk around the UI. This indicates that any mistakes made during the minigame will add a dark splash to the player's cargo.
Being within an ooze patch will change the ambient color of the sky to an aggressive red, by varying degrees depending on the current progression state of the Iron Rig's storyline.
Use
When the player has the Siphon Trawler equipped, they can pass over an Ooze field to clean it up. This fills a small purple meter in the bottom left corner. When filled fully, the net catches a Dark Canister. Dark canisters are used to fabricate a number of pieces of equipment, as well as complete pursuits.
Dark Splashes are different from dark canisters, and do not require the siphon trawler to collect. They can be collected in a variety of ways, including making a mistake in a fishing minigame, approaching a Dark Tumor, or being attacked by Ocular Ooze or other ooze enemies. If a dark splash lands on a fish in the boat's cargo, it is placed elsewhere and the fish is infected.
Enemies
Several enemies spawn exclusively inside the Ooze.
Ooze Tumor
The Ooze Tumor is an environmental hazard that spawns in Ooze fields. It looks like a large bubble forming on the ooze's surface, and will explode on its own after some time. When approached, they explode immediately, adding a Dark Splash to the player's inventory and raising the player's panic. These are the only Ooze enemies that spawn on Passive Mode. Ooze tumors will spawn regardless of player panic.
Ocular Ooze
The Ocular Ooze, also called Ooze Eyes, are small enemies that float over the water's surface, with the appearance of a large eye and some small appendages. They cannot damage the player's hull, but will approach the player and try to dive onto their deck. If they connect, they will add a Dark Splash to the player's inventory, and raise the player's panic. Ocular ooze will spawn if the player has any panic while near the ooze and wander randomly within its borders. They are capable of chasing the player beyond the border of the ooze. They cannot spawn before the rift has spread to Gale Cliffs.
Ooze Tentacle
The Ooze Tentacle is a panic event. It is functionally equivalent to the normal tentacle panic event, despite its differing appearance. The ooze tentacle will spawn when the player has moderate panic. It cannot spawn before the rift has spread to Stellar Basin.
Gleaming Goliath
The Gleaming Goliath is the largest ooze enemy. It has a variety of actions and behaviours. The gleaming goliath spawns at high panic in large ooze fields. It is capable of chasing the player beyond the border of the ooze. It cannot spawn before the rift has spread to Twisted Strand.