Hi, thanks for your feedback! I really like your ideas with the flamethrower rework!
I agree that the mod makes a massive change to the flamethrower. I was finding all of my defensive tactics became irrelevant once I installed flamethrowers as they were too powerful and dealt with every biter type handily. Thousands of biters would die without being a threat because of the residual fire effect at 30+ range.
I really didn't want to start modifying too much of the game, but this turret was just removing all challenge.
My goal became maximising the amount of strategic options available to the player and that meant normalising the potency of all the existing turrets such that each had distinct traits. Without doing a complete balance overhaul (which isn't really needed, well done Wube), simply making the flamethrower turret a more purposeful tool I came to the solution I implemented of a short range aoe biter deleter.
Following my thinking, I looked at the current turret parameters of damage, range, resource usage and implementation difficulty. Reducing damage would just make it like a laser turret, just harder to place as it requires liquids. Increasing resource usage is a good idea but is too easily overcome. I really enjoyed having to make more elaborate defenses with the current implementation considerations of flamethrower turrets, but wanted to reward players with a kick-ass/vital turret for their efforts. That left me with turret range, and, reducing it to a small but deadly area has given it a strong identity and relevancy throughout the game as it's absolutely necessary to avoid churning through iron.
Anyways, it's not perfect and I'll keep thinking on how they can be more balanced, and will put in a setting for the flamethrower turrets as I appreciate some people just enjoy watching the world burn.
