Valheim definitely needs some more Ocean content

Even if it's a minor addition of 2-3 new enemy types in the short term prior to a full Ocean update.

Every time I've gotten a group to play, the engagement peters out by the time we finish the Mountains. The new endgame content being made isn't affecting my playthroughs at all; and the biggest gaping hole in the game is the Biome that you interact with from the early-midgame onwards.

I think it'd actually impact a lot of the discussion on teleporting metals.

I'm a big fan of the idea of metals needing to be taken back home. In theory, the risk part of sailing those metals back home should make you feel tense followed by catharsis. Instead it just feels like tedium because you're likely just battling winds and waiting.

If you're solo, you should sometimes feel like you need to just leave the sail down at half speed to go fight something off the stern of your ship. If you're in a group, the other players should occasionally feel like they're fending off enemies and protecting the helmsman.

The closest you get to that feeling is with a pre-harpoon/iron serpent; or if you sail too close to a plains and get a few Deathsquitos pursuing you.

Engagement and excitement need to overcome tedium. The game should feel like it's rewarding the players by having them sail.

Maybe there should be a rare equivalent of an Event that's focused on a piloted boat (instead of a Workbench), or more types of Leviathan/Ocean-based dungeon? Something to make sailing into a more dynamic and rewarding challenge to overcome.

Maybe you should be able to harpoon boars/deer/lox etc. into the Ocean to increase serpent spawn rate if you want to hunt them?

I really just think there just needs to be something more with it.

What other content could help the Ocean stay engaging throughout a playthrough?