IDEA
Content to maximum level
I think the death of valheim and a few other survival games is that after defeating the last boss with a max character, there is nothing left to do. Okay, you build a few monumental things, but this is the max. I know that I have two more bios left, but I'm afraid that even after the last boss of my last bio, there won't be anything left to do in the same way as now. That's why I collected a few thoughts that I would like to spend time with when my character is maxed out.
1. Viking bots, sometimes you can find them on the map while exploring, if you save them, e.g. it will join you during some mini-event, it could be used as a companion (it can be useful if someone is playing alone), or at the base, for example it would repair the damaged building elements by itself, or the garden could be automated with it. (in the case of instances, it would be waiting outside in the entrance, essentially a moving inventory and minimal support). Gear and weapons could be crafted separately for them.
2. Mounts: horses, larger wolves, loxes. There can be several types of mounts that can be ridden, they can be found in different biomes and captured using different methods. Their frequency should also be different. Also, some could be faster, the other should have a mini inventory with 4-5 slots, or for example the wolf to help fight. Tamed mounts cannot be killed, they are only injured if defeated (in this case they cannot move but lie down). and can be healed (just like Viking bots).
You also need a ship, e.g. a converted longship that has a large cage on board and that serves to transport the mounts at sea. (If the ship accidentally sinks, the animal will swim to the nearest shore.) Many types of mounts, in many different colors, I think many people would be interested in collecting them.
3. Big attacks. In addition to the usual random attacks, there could sometimes be a big attack event. In this case, a larger army starts towards your base from somewhere and approx. The timer would count down from 5-10 minutes. At 0, the army would reach you and you could prepare until then, or go in front of the army and weaken them with traps. Here, the army would not disappear after a certain time, but only when the last one died.
Such things would fill the game even if you already beat every boss with a maxed character, because there is still something to do.