Rewards just need to be a bit better to incentivize people to run, like, Castrum regularly.

The difficulty is fine, IMO. Dying in Castrum isn't as big of a deal as people say, outside of just losing some mettle that stops mattering after rank 15. Only Savage Bozja has the resurrection restrictions (and even then, Lost Arise + the passive revive item and healer LB3 work).

Only reason the content itself will die is when something newer and shinier replaces it and the rewards are no longer relevant, or it holds no re-playable value in getting cosmetic items (or getting and selling cosmetic items). Once people get all they want from it, they tend to stop running it.

And those Discord communities tend to last after the content generally expires, making completion still possible if a little annoying due to signing up via a queue and coordinating via PF.

I'd rather have something that at least makes me pay some modicum of attention, if all content were like current day LoTA this would barely be a game at that point. And, with the variance of objectives I have in Bozja (Leveling, Clusters, Fragments, Augments, Coins) I feel like I'm working towards multiple ends instead of grinding pretty... uninteresting dungeons incessantly just for the poetics to spend on a weapon.

Personally I prefer this system, despite the flaws present. I find it more engaging and fun, even if the issue with rewards will likely be a sticking point later on.

Different strokes, I spose.