I don't have anything drawn up but I'm sure 99% of people using the internet are aware of the basic principles of a flamethrower, so I won't go into the design of one. Something more interesting is the possible uses in Starbound. Say you get your planet and want to start terraforming, but some pesky weeds are in your way. BURN THEM! There are a few books and games (eg. Red Faction 1) that mention how military flamethrowers were first used to control plant outbreaks and stuff like that. This could easily scrape the 'grass' layer off and get you right to the ground. Another interesting use would be ice planets, because ice can be quite hard it would be easier to dig a thermal borehole underground than to mechanically dig the ice away. This would be great to make quick shelters in case you start freezing also. Finally the most obvious use of the flamethrower, varmint control. I'm certain there will be swarming aliens reminiscent of Zerglings, and these swarming type of buggers would be better off burnt than shot. Flying aliens would get their wings burnt off to be neutralized, or maybe even have certain aliens that explode when exposed to flame. Don't make the flamethrower like most games do, a water-gun that happens to do damage to HP. Make the flamethrower what it really is, a tool to manipulate the environment with fire.
As a major advocate in the many uses of the "Gift from Prometheus", I endorse the use of Flamethrowers in ANY game... even one's that it makes no sense to have them, such as Solitaire or Backgammon. Flamethrowers are amazing tools, Fearsome weapons and REALLY FUN!!! yes. i have used one in RL. they are every bit as awesome as you might think... do not use a Flamethrower on a windy day... it can be... bad. That said, Should you put Flamethrowers in the game, it would be neat if weather affected them correctly (as I'm sure there will be Poc-Gen'd weather on all these Proc-Gen'd planets). If it's raining, make it less useful. If it's windy, make the flames blow in the direction of the wind. if there's a highly flammable atmosphere (ie Methane) make it do HORRIBLE HORRIBLE THINGS!!! I'm sure you get the Idea please let there be Flamethrowers... and Molotovs.. and Incindiary explosives.. please?
Pyromania aside I wish flamethrowers would be made with utensil capabilities instead of just using it to make damage. As I said in the OP most games make a flamethrower simply a water gun that does only damage, I wish the flamethrower would become something to manipulate organic components of the environment as well as a fearsome weapon. Molotovs type weapons would be welcome, be able to start a fire off in the distance as well as set vehicles and people on fire, possible making their shields the devs talked about not work as well or slowly disintegrate.
I like this, but it shoudn't be on wooden blocks or trees. Griefing would be made easy on big mansions or treehouses. Plants and ice is okay, maybe not ice bricks.
Someone correct me please if I am wrong but last I checked each player could visit a world seed and it's just the natural world, it doesn't save online what each player does to each world but the seed is consistent so players can say 'seed x445566 is a jungle world' and other players will see the freshly generated world. A player can claim one world as their home and terraform and build on it but I am certain you can set who can and cannot interact with your personal world. So Griefing wouldn't be an issue, and if a flamethrower can't catch wood on fire than that would be a 'wtf' type of moment for many people.
You never put pyromania aside. Not really, every other weapon cal alread damage blocks, fire would be only slighlty more frustrating, but it's easy to balance - just code it so that it doesn't spread over wooden blocks.
