There is merit to a surfaced based craft. I wouldn't mind one that's a very slow barge with solar and/or wind power that can charge up a cyclops. However, what I'm most looking forward to is what was hinted at in the opening scene. A massive energy …
Something I'm surprised is not ingame already would be an ambush predator such as a giant clam or an angler with a lure. Imagine going to claim a sparklie looking piece of lithium but when you touch it ... SNAP!
One solution to food animals spawning in could be that the schools of fish which are currently in game could spawn a creature at regular intervals. Appropriate to the biome and and indicated by the type of school, they could produce an edible or use…