Understanding Points & Rewards
Drips Wave uses a transparent, points-based system to quantify value and distribute rewards. Whether you are a Maintainer scoping work or a Contributor solving issues, understanding how points flow is key to maximizing your success in a Wave.
The Point System
Every contribution in a Wave is valued in Points. These points act similar to "shares" in the total Reward Pool for the given Wave. The more points a contributor earns relative to others, the larger their slice of the total rewards.
Base Points & Complexity
When a Maintainer adds an issue to a Wave Program, they assign a Complexity Level. This determines the fixed number of points awarded upon resolution.
| Complexity | Description | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| Trivial | Typos, minor copy changes, or very small bug fixes. | 100 |
| Medium | Standard feature work or involved bug fixes. Includes a 50-point complexity bonus. | 150 |
| High | Complex architecture, refactors, or new integrations. Includes a 100-point complexity bonus. | 200 |
Calculating Rewards
At the end of a Wave cycle, the total Reward Budget (e.g., $50,000) is distributed among all contributors based on their share of the total points earned during that specific Wave.
The Formula
Your payout is not a fixed dollar amount per issue. Instead, it is dynamic based on the total activity in the Wave. At the end of each Wave, we calculate your percentage of all points issued during the Wave, and allocate the reward pool accordingly.
The Leaderboard
Participants can track their standing in real-time via Wave Program → Leaderboard. A higher rank indicates a higher point total, which directly correlates to a larger payout.
Payout Distribution
Once a Wave concludes and the seven-day Compliment window closes, the distribution process begins.
- Calculation: The leaderboard is finalized and individual allocations are calculated.
- Withdrawals: Your Drips Wave account will reflect any earned rewards, which you can withdraw to a wallet. You'll receive an email notification when your rewards are available. See Withdrawing Your Rewards for detailed instructions.
Requirements to Receive Funds
To ensure you receive your reward, you must complete KYC. Withdrawing rewards will only be possible with verified accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if an issue isn't finished on time?
Wave cycles are strict timeboxes. If an issue is not marked as Resolved before the Wave ends, no points are awarded for that cycle.
- For Contributors: If you are close to finishing, communicate with your maintainer.
- For Maintainers: If the work is good but blocked by external factors, consider marking it resolved to ensure the contributor is rewarded. Otherwise, the issue rolls over to the next Wave.
Can Maintainers earn points?
Generally, points are reserved for Contributors solving issues. However, Wave Programs may have specific separate budgets or mechanisms to reward Maintainers for their administrative work (scoping, reviewing, and merging).
Who decides the complexity?
The Maintainer has the final say on an issue's complexity. If a Contributor believes an issue turned out to be much harder than "Trivial," they should discuss this with the Maintainer, who can update the complexity level before the issue is resolved.