I mean, they do absolutely devour supplies when you get anywhere near the middle,
Indeed it does have a downside right now, but the issue is that since it's so easy to avoid it through either using emergency burn.
and though it's not hard to get back out you'll definitely have been penalized for doing so.
Without emergency burn, yes, with emergency burn, I would say there is hardly any penalty.
What would you suggest to make them more "skill-based and punishing"
That is a good question. In essence I think the black hole should feel more dangerous, more tense of a situation, and less of a slap on the wrist with numbers that you can avoid in many different ways.
How to achieve that?
1:There needs to be real danger, the center of the black hole should incur heavy punishments so that players want to avoid it at all costs, not game over per say but anything from say straight up damage to ships, to losing a ship to game over(though this last one is only okay with either rouge-like games or if somebody uses save games)
2:Player should be aware of the danger and it should be clear they are heading for it. I would make the gravity well of the black hole bigger and scale gradually. So players would feel the tugging of the black hole from far away and gradually see it's effects increase as they get closer, or get pulled closer. Slow build up and display of increasing gravity builds anticipation and tread. Additionally if you add a sound effect of a alarm bleeping with increased frequency/intensity as you get closer to the black hole can also help players be aware of the danger and tread it. Example:
3:Player should ideally have a skill based option on how to navigate near black holes. Planing a trajectory to go near a juicy station and then spiraling out of there. If you look at the example video given at the start of the thread, I believe it gives a decent idea of how it should/could look like. If the center does real damage, but it's easy enough to avoid the center, just not the gravity well, then players in theory should have a moment of tension where they try to get their way out. Also supply drain should be reduced in this case, so players have more time to get out and only getting punished if they go through the center by being very careless or giving up.
You can test it in game with entering the black hole area using sustained burn. Try to avoid the center at all cost and using only sustained burn, not active burn or normal flight, try to spin out of the black hole. You notice that it takes some effort but is possible consistently.
Naturally the fleet top speeds and acceleration would have to be looked at in proportion to the black hole gravity tugging effect.
, and why do you feel it's necessary? It's not like there are any insane advantages to be gained by going black-hole-diving, assuming Alex eventually patches out black hole colonies (not very familiar with them myself).
For two reasons, one is that any rewards put near a black hole will be more of an adventure to claim. Something you think about and prepare for instead of it being just another case of "use emergency burn and no thrill". Second reason is that it makes the world feel more diverse and dangerous. I am speaking purely from my point of view, but you may share this outlook:"I don't want to feel the same thread level near a black hole that I feel in a hyperspace storm, or normal space, or while shopping near a colony". Different thread levels give variety and contrast.
If they were made a major threat without any major upside being added (it's not like black hole systems are usually populated with many or really rare planets, or things you can't find elsewhere), people would just avoid them entirely.
Partially covered above, but yes you are right, people would avoid black holes unless there is a reason to be there. Which leads to either people hunting for research stations or other rewards near it. Or avoiding it. But again, is black holes really something you should sneeze at? Should you really feel like "yeah what ever". The fact you can just use emergency burn and fly directly through it kinda makes it feel like...like a joke.
read this
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TrialAndErrorGameplay
such "things" are not fun, not skill based and does not make game any better.
I though somebody might have your opinion, which is why I asked in the first place.
"Fun" is different for different people so I doubt you can claim it's not fun, though you can certainly claim it's not fun for you.
My idea is skill based as it's more up to the individual player to escape, rather than pressing emergency burn and ignoring it entirely, or just using normal burn and clicking outside. Right now the player isn't involved at all.
Note to Alex: I realize this is development time for something people might not need or want and thus it might be a waste of your time and effort. Definitely not a priority. Just the black holes right now lack that umpf that one could expect from something so dangerous.
I suggest taking some supplies and a fleet with 8 burn and trying it out on a black hole using sustained burn to see if it has any merit to it as shown in my original videos post.