Spoilage mechanics - Revision history

Tau: /* Spoil products */ changed wording to premature wriggler to match other pages

2026-05-01T18:02:30Z

Spoil products: changed wording to premature wriggler to match other pages

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:02, 1 May 2026
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	\| {{imagelink\|Biter egg\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Biters\|big biter]]		\| {{imagelink\|Biter egg\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Biters\|big biter]]
	\|-		\|-
	\| {{imagelink\|Pentapod egg\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Wrigglers\|wriggler]]		\| {{imagelink\|Pentapod egg\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Wrigglers\|premature wriggler]]
	\|-		\|-
	\| {{imagelink\|Captive biter spawner\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Biters\|behemoth biter]]		\| {{imagelink\|Captive biter spawner\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Biters\|behemoth biter]]

Ickputzdirwech: added space age category

2026-04-23T22:24:19Z

added space age category

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:24, 23 April 2026
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	* In Space Age, a base quality [[fish]] has a spoilage time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 50 seconds. This equates to 7,550 seconds, or 453,000 [[time#Ticks\|game ticks]], which is a reference to developer V453000, the artist behind the fish icon.		* In Space Age, a base quality [[fish]] has a spoilage time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 50 seconds. This equates to 7,550 seconds, or 453,000 [[time#Ticks\|game ticks]], which is a reference to developer V453000, the artist behind the fish icon.

			{{C\|Space Age}}

Alfonse: /* Freshness effects */ Clarified how Ag freshness science works.

2026-02-13T02:20:55Z

Freshness effects: Clarified how Ag freshness science works.

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:20, 13 February 2026
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	=== Freshness effects ===		=== Freshness effects ===

	For most spoilable items, their freshness matters only in that the freshness can transfer during production. For [[agricultural science pack]]s however, there is an additional effect. Freshness affects the science ~~value produced by a lab when the~~ pack is ~~being~~ consumed. ~~As such, a pack that is consumed while~~ 50% fresh will only ~~generate 50%~~ the science ~~value of~~ a 100% fresh ~~science~~ pack.		For most spoilable items, their freshness matters only in that the freshness can transfer during production. For [[agricultural science pack]]s however, there is an additional effect. Freshness affects the speed at which a science pack is consumed in a lab. A 50% fresh pack will be consumed twice as fast. But because it does not generate more science value during that consumption, it effectively only produces half the science that a 100% fresh pack would.

	Note that freshness does not affect the fuel value of any spoilable that has a fuel value. So long as the fuel is consumed before it spoils, it will impart all of its energy to the device.		Note that freshness does not affect the [[fuel]] value of any spoilable that has a fuel value. So long as the fuel is consumed before it spoils, it will impart all of its energy to the device.

	== Spoil products ==		== Spoil products ==

Alfonse: /* Special spoiling effects */ fixed in a recent patch.

2025-07-13T13:46:19Z

Special spoiling effects: fixed in a recent patch.

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:46, 13 July 2025
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	If an inserter is aimed at a machine which has trash slots based on spoilable input items, and the item it attempts to insert into the machine spoils before insertion is complete, the inserter will insert the item into the machine's trash slots. It will ''not'' do so if the item has spoiled before it was picked up (and it will not pick up spoiled items).		If an inserter is aimed at a machine which has trash slots based on spoilable input items, and the item it attempts to insert into the machine spoils before insertion is complete, the inserter will insert the item into the machine's trash slots. It will ''not'' do so if the item has spoiled before it was picked up (and it will not pick up spoiled items).

	If a machine's output is full, then spoil-based trash slots don't function. If input or fuel stacks spoil, they will remain in the those locations (blocking further inputs or fuel) until the machine's outputs have been emptied. In particular, this can affect [[captive biter spawner]]s. Eggs kept in the spawner do not spoil, but this can put the spawner in the "output full" state. If the [[bioflux]] fuel spoils, it can block new bioflux from being inserted into the machine.		If a machine's output is full, then spoil-based trash slots don't function. If input or fuel stacks spoil while in this state, they will remain in the those locations (blocking further inputs or fuel) until the machine's outputs have been emptied.

	[[Lab]]s and [[biolab]]s have pass-through logic that allows science packs to be passed from one machine to another. While this works for [[agricultural science pack]]s, it does not work for spoilage. So each lab must have its own inserter specifically to remove any spoilage.		[[Lab]]s and [[biolab]]s have pass-through logic that allows science packs to be passed from one machine to another. While this works for [[agricultural science pack]]s, it does not work for spoilage. So each lab must have its own inserter specifically to remove any spoilage.

Alfonse: /* Production and freshness */ Noted biter egg freshness in spawners.

2025-07-13T02:36:55Z

Production and freshness: Noted biter egg freshness in spawners.

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:36, 13 July 2025
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	=== Production and freshness ===		=== Production and freshness ===

	Items that are generated by means other than a machine (or the player) executing a recipe are generated at 100% freshness. This includes harvesting [[yumako]]s and [[jellynut]]s, as well as extracting [[biter egg]]s from [[captive biter spawner]]s.		Items that are generated by means other than a machine (or the player) executing a recipe are generated at 100% freshness. This includes harvesting [[yumako]]s and [[jellynut]]s, as well as extracting [[biter egg]]s from [[captive biter spawner]]s. Captive biter spawners have the unique property that the eggs they generate do not begin to spoil until they are removed from the spawner.

	If no spoilable inputs are used to generate a spoilable output, then the freshness of the output is determined by the recipe (usually 100% fresh, but [[nutrients]] created from [[spoilage]] are 50% fresh). Note that [[recycler]] recipes are no different; if a non-spoilable item can be recycled to a spoilable input, that input item will have 100% freshness (the [[biochamber]] recipe is one such example).		If no spoilable inputs are used to generate a spoilable output, then the freshness of the output is determined by the recipe (usually 100% fresh, but [[nutrients]] created from [[spoilage]] are 50% fresh). Note that [[recycler]] recipes are no different; if a non-spoilable item can be recycled to a spoilable input, that input item will have 100% freshness (the [[biochamber]] recipe is one such example).
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	If a recipe generates a spoilable product using one or more spoilable inputs, the freshness of the spoilable input products may be transferred to the freshness of the output. If the recipe only has one spoilable input, then the freshness percentage is transferred directly to the output. If a recipe uses multiple spoilable inputs, then the freshness of the output is the average freshness of the input.		If a recipe generates a spoilable product using one or more spoilable inputs, the freshness of the spoilable input products may be transferred to the freshness of the output. If the recipe only has one spoilable input, then the freshness percentage is transferred directly to the output. If a recipe uses multiple spoilable inputs, then the freshness of the output is the average freshness of the input.

	~~That having been said~~, catalytic recipes (recipes which consume and produce an item of the same type, for example [[iron bacteria cultivation]]) do not transfer freshness to their catalytic product; their outputs are always 100% fresh.		Some recipes override the freshness of the output product, even when the inputs can spoil. Most catalytic recipes (recipes which consume and produce an item of the same type, for example [[iron bacteria cultivation]]) do not transfer freshness to their catalytic product; their outputs are always 100% fresh.

	While items can spoil while in a machine's input slots, once the item has been consumed to start a production cycle, the item cannot spoil.		While items can spoil while in a machine's input slots, once the item has been consumed to start a production cycle, the item cannot spoil.

StephenB at 16:49, 7 June 2025

2025-06-07T16:49:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:49, 7 June 2025
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	If an inserter is holding an item that spoils, it will immediately turn and attempt to insert the item in its destination. Note that this overrides the general rule of [[stack inserter]]s that they only turn when they have a full hand size. This is done to prevent stack inserters from getting stuck.		If an inserter is holding an item that spoils, it will immediately turn and attempt to insert the item in its destination. Note that this overrides the general rule of [[stack inserter]]s that they only turn when they have a full hand size. This is done to prevent stack inserters from getting stuck.

			==Mathematics==

			A buffer holding ''n'' items with a spoilage time of ''t'' will have an average spoilage rate of ''n/t''. For example, a steel chest holding 48 stacks of 50 normal-quality copper bacteria, which spoil in 1 minute, will produce on average 2400 copper ore per minute. This relation is called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little%27s_law Little's law] in queueing theory. The formula only gives the average spoilage rate, assuming spoiled items are immediately removed and replaced with completely fresh items. In practice, the rate can vary over time due to many factors, such as items being already partially spoiled when they are inserted, or many fresh items being inserted at the same time.

	==Trivia==		==Trivia==

	* In Space Age, a base quality [[fish]] has a spoilage time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 50 seconds. This equates to 7,550 seconds, or 453,000 [[time#Ticks\|game ticks]], which is a reference to developer V453000, the artist behind the fish icon.		* In Space Age, a base quality [[fish]] has a spoilage time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 50 seconds. This equates to 7,550 seconds, or 453,000 [[time#Ticks\|game ticks]], which is a reference to developer V453000, the artist behind the fish icon.

Alfonse: /* Production and freshness */ Hand-crafting issue noted in a Reddit thread.

2025-01-29T15:05:13Z

Production and freshness: Hand-crafting issue noted in a Reddit thread.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:05, 29 January 2025
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	The freshness of inputs can transfer to outputs. But the freshness of the fuel used to power the building producing the spoilable product is irrelevant. The [[biochamber]] uses [[nutrients]] as fuel, but so long as the recipe itself does not use nutrients as an ingredient, the freshness of those nutrients does not matter to the freshness of the output.		The freshness of inputs can transfer to outputs. But the freshness of the fuel used to power the building producing the spoilable product is irrelevant. The [[biochamber]] uses [[nutrients]] as fuel, but so long as the recipe itself does not use nutrients as an ingredient, the freshness of those nutrients does not matter to the freshness of the output.

			When using the player's hand-crafting queue for spoilable outputs, the freshness of the output is timed based on when the hand-craft was added to the crafting queue. This means that, if you craft a lot of fast-spoiling spoilable products all at once, the final crafts may directly generate spoilage instead of the desired item. <!-- As noted here: https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comments/1ib4ff3/biter_egg_to_spoilage_bug/ This could be a bug. -->

	=== Freshness effects ===		=== Freshness effects ===

Iridium235: /* Trivia */

2025-01-19T23:27:58Z

Trivia

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:27, 19 January 2025
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	==Trivia==		==Trivia==

	* [[~~Fish~~]] ~~spoil~~ time ~~is 7550~~ seconds, or 453,000 ~~in-~~game ticks, ~~most likely~~ a reference to V453000, ~~one of~~ the ~~Factorio developers~~.		* In Space Age, a base quality [[fish]] has a spoilage time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 50 seconds. This equates to 7,550 seconds, or 453,000 [[time#Ticks\|game ticks]], which is a reference to developer V453000, the artist behind the fish icon.

	~~{{C\|Logistics}}~~

Alfonse: No longer a stub.

2025-01-04T15:00:47Z

No longer a stub.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:00, 4 January 2025
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	{{Languages}}		{{Languages}}
	~~{{Stub}}~~
	{{About/Space age}}		{{About/Space age}}
	''For the article encompassing the spoilage item, see [[Spoilage]].''		''For the article encompassing the spoilage item, see [[Spoilage]].''

Yngndrw: /* Spoil products */

2024-12-06T02:27:46Z

Spoil products

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:27, 6 December 2024
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	\|-		\|-
	\| {{imagelink\|Pentapod egg\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Wrigglers\|wriggler]]		\| {{imagelink\|Pentapod egg\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Wrigglers\|wriggler]]
			\|-
			\| {{imagelink\|Captive biter spawner\|space-age=yes}} \|\| Spawns a [[Enemies#Biters\|behemoth biter]]
	\|-		\|-
	\|}		\|}