Preserve a Safe Starting Area, but Make the Wider Ocean Unpredictable

I don’t think the entire map should be constantly dangerous.

Having a central, relatively safe starting area is important. It gives players somewhere to relax, build, prepare, and recover from stressful expeditions.

However, outside this sanctuary, I’d love to see more areas where leviathans could potentially appear, even if encounters are uncommon.

A player might explore a biome dozens of times without seeing anything threatening, only to eventually spot an enormous creature swimming through the distance.

That single encounter could permanently change how they perceive that area.

It would also make individual playthroughs feel more unique, as different players might encounter the same creatures in completely different locations and circumstances.