For me, that sounds like another part of the story/campaign. With the fixed design, objectives, and so. If that’s what it would become, just make it into a mission? Sure, it can’t be replayed, but replayed the same puzzle again and again in a static map would lost its charm after few runs.
I think what they want to do with Crucibles is a roguelike. And judging from that idea, no checkpoints, no “trial run” againts bosses, etc are common theme in roguelikes. NRFTW is a lot more forgiving since you can bring your levels and items from outside of the realm. Traditionally, you start clean for every roguelike run except very few exceptions. I do think current iteration has something to improve.
My suggestion would be:
- Make every run a clean slate. No items, no equipment only few unalocated attribute points.
- Stagger the difficulty with mobs and minibosses. For example, a total run could consist of 20 levels/stages with minibosses at level 5, 10, and 15. This is to give some sense of achievement and reward based on their skill level. In current system, you can die at level 1 or 6, it doesnt matter except for the for loot you found. In my proposed idea, dying at level 6 would still give some kind of achievement since you still defeated a miniboss, a milestone.
- Have a rest area where players can log out of the Crucables without erasing its progress. For example, there could be rest area at level 11. Players can leave to the overworld, leaving all of the acquired items behind in the Crucables, doing whatever they want to. And when they come back, they would start at level 11 with previously acquired items and continue there. If they die at level 12, they would of course start at level 1 again. This is a breathing point for player so that they can take a breath before continuing the gauntlet.
- Enemies and items scales with levels/stages. Lower level would yield less valuable items and higher levels have more valuable items and harder enemies.
- Everything else, I still can’t decide. Like the rewards, the cost of doing it, item spawn, etc.
My suggestion is adhering to devs’ wishes of doing a roguelike dungeon for their “endgame content”. I think the core concept of roguelike is you start as minimal as possible, the only one being tested is your skill. Not your items or consumables. This would make every Crucable run unique and rewarding. Learning by dying is too common in roguelike. With clean slate as your reward.