With several changes coming with S7, I think this is an important topic that has generally not been talked about.


First I want to go on the record and state that I think the solo content that offers dilithium rewards is in the right spot. I do not think it should be changed, the earnings for time vs. reward and effort are just about right.

Second, I'm looking at this from a VA perspective. That is the scope of this post, and the limit of what I'm going to cover.

Also these lists are not exhaustive, a full list of missions that currently offer dilithium can be found here.


Now, with that being said let's take a look at some of the available solo content that offers dilithium rewards:


Solo Content

• Eta Eridani Dailies: 3 daily missions (20hr CD), (plus one bonus mission every few days) Dilithium payout = 1440 per day
• Defera Dailies: 3 (5 actual "missions") daily missions (20hr CD) Dilithium payout = 2,400 per day
• Exploration Daily + B?tran Daily: 3 completed missions earn credit (24hr CD) Dilithium payout = 1440 per day ***B'Tran Inexplicably Nerfed as part of the next wave of efficient Dilithium Source Nerfs*** Don't worry, they don't actually need this for revenue, this is just for their amusement.
  
• SFA Lore Daily: 1 daily mission requiring a single clic Dilithium payout = 480 per day
• Investigate Officer Reports: pending due to changes
• Contraband Turn-in: 2000 dilithium for 5 contraband every 4 hours, no daily limit
• Various dilithium DOFF assignments, typically 500 dilithium per assignment - variable number per day

All of these allow a solo player to hit the 8k dilithium cap in 1 to 1.5 hours of leisurely solo effort. So far, so good.



Let's take a look at group content


Group Content

• Normal STF = 480 dilithium per STF, 1hr global cooldown (3 space missions, 3 ground) *needs confirmation
• Elite STF = approx 960 dilithium per STF (needs confirmation), reduced from 1180, 1hr global cooldown (3 space missions, 3 ground) *needs confirmation
• Fleet Actions (unsure how many) = approx 960 dilithium per mission, 30 min global cooldown

My question for the developers is, why are the group content rewards so low?


In some cases they are even less than some solo content that can be completed in 10-15 minutes or faster.




Groups require more effort to get started, more effort to maintain consistently on a daily basis - but they are also one of the core requirements of an MMOs social aspect.


Group content generally requires a more effort from the player than solo content, and in some situations like elite STFs it requires a lot more effort.




Yet group content does not offer commensurate rewards in comparison to solo rewards.






Again, I think the solo rewards are fine.


I think the group rewards are too low, and do not make sense in a game where the focus has been stated to be on endgame and teaming.


Why are these dilithium rewards values for group content, and especially elite group content, considered to be sufficient when easier, more leisurely solo content offers the same or better rewards?

Thanks for putting the numbers together, and I don't have any kind of answer.

Beside this seems opposite of what they want, join a fleet, team up and play together.

They even mention once that people play longer when the have friends and are in a fleet.

They say one thing fleets and teams and then reward solo play with higher rewards.

Truthfully I think Cryptic is out touch with its player base.

There are programmers, artist and managers, but a good worker at anyone of them doesn't make good game designer..

Exactly.

If the game is to focus on group content, then I would think the dilithium rewards for group content would need to be a major incentive.


Yes, group content like the STFs also has other rewards such as gear - but all of that gear costs dilithium.

At this point, many major endgame items and systems (Starbase, Embassy) cost dilithium.

Well B'tran is getting nerfed first off but aside from that.

What I cannot understand is if dilithium is intended as a 'time currency' why on earth every activity does not reward it to some degree like episode replays and such. And why there are so few options in your daily mission selection to get it. But even with the group stuff lets take a lookie

STF: Marks + Dil
Romulan Junk: Marks + Other Marks
Fleet Junk = Marks + Nuttin
Fleet Action Ancient Junk = Gear + Dil

Something is off their....

I'll note this inexplicable change in my first post.



There is no consistency or logic to the system at all.

At this point, it seems they are just using it as a giant carrot to urge characters into apparently important content like...Starbase 24...

Not only you dont get dilithium or you get less but they even removed the optional loot in stfs where you had the chance to find a cool DHC for your escort or some shields and stuffs you could sell for ec.We will get marks and marks and more marks and hope one day we will see something for those marks .

Now in real world people will stop playing those missions that reward only marks or tiny amount of dilithium and other missions which have more dilithium now but were unplayed till s7 will be played ....ok farmed till people give up ....either way most people will farm first few weeks then they will see that even though they have billions and billions marks they dont have any loot any fast thing in their inventory ....excpet 300000 pets of course.

I think the dilithum reward should be doubled
And if it is it will be less than what we get now

If you get the opp you should get some fleet marks

The ship drops should be beefed up

EC reward

Lifeboats with Doffs and or Boffs I'n them

I think all rewards should require average amount
Of damage done and abilities used to stop afkers

All rewards should drop at the completion of the mission

Well, it looks like S7 is marching on and we will continue this situation where group content does not award a high enough dilithium payout commensurate with the added effort required to run content in groups.


I still think this is a good idea, and I think that promoting grouping in general is a good idea.

That being said, I want to see that as a benefit added to group and not see more taken away from soloers (hitting the dilithium cap would take approximately 1 hour to 90 minutes for a soloer running select missions), such as the nerf to the B'tran cluster.