I think that realistically speaking, the team cannot introduce new types of damage into the game this close to release.
And if you just lower the damage according to the level of zombies then its just level scaling it.
Which leaves us back at the current stage.
Hmm... I wonder how hard it would be to rework the way the fire progresses in damage. Yes, you guys say it scales, but maybe the issue is not a static scaling that is needed, but an exponential progression of damage that would allow them to tune the problems of taking too much damage too fast and yet still make being in fire a nasty thing? So, lets say your first few rounds are much lighter on damage (to simulate that you have clothing and armor protecting from the immediate heat), but then... over time (few rounds), that damage begins to scale up quite quickly, maybe even higher than it currently is.
This would give people time to react, but also keep fire and other like elements deadly. /shrug
Edit:
I may be missing things, I haven't played the game so if I am ignorant of something and not making sense, just disregard.
The thing is that right now, damage from the fire and poisonous surfaces isnt well balanced.
To become balanced you would first need to get it to some reasonable levels.
And then adjust that as necessary.
I would not want for fire or other such environmental dangers to become any less dangerous. Actually.
Just - sane.
Playable.
My character should take damage and be in extreme danger from these elements, whether in environmental or weaponized form - but i should have at least a possibility of mitigating it somehow - through the existing game mechanics and skills and spells.
Character or enemies should not burst into flames and burn out as if they are made out of gasoline.
Unless there is a specific reason for it.
Undead like skeletons being more sensitive to fire damage due to their generally expected .. qualities.
btw, appreciate that interdiction up there.
i would advise not wasting too much time on it anyway.
ynotndalton too.
Maybe they could put a natural "resistance" on player char's depending on level of char.. at level 1 your fire resistance naturally "not visible to player as in thier stats" but a invisible stat that would make fire seem to not hurt you as much and as you level up this invisible stat lowers so it "appears" fire is getting more dangerous at later levels but at the same time visible stat of resistance might be counteracting it... wow complicated balancing lol
There is plenty of almost permanent resistance in the game achievable through equipment that has such resistances.
So nothing - according to level - is needed.
Well, except that these types of damage do scale to players level, as Stabbey reported... which could be atleast normalized.
But all the same, i think it would feel and play much better if the player had a sense that their equipment and various items do contribute to these environmental effects.
Sorry, I was skimming, as it was late enough then to be early here, and I was in the process of exiting out of everything.
Not a biggie anyway. I was just saying.
