Sadly, I think this is just random luck. I've done 5 public events in a row since the update and got NOTHING (don't even get the postmaster drop anymore) while other participants got shards/energy. My experience is that the ascendant materials seem to come in groups. Before the patch, once per week or so I would get a group of shards/energy and then nothing or just motes for several days. But since the patch, I have not received ANYTHING for doing public events. This kinda sucks and dis-incentivizes me from bothering with events. Why bother if all I accomplish is to deplete my heavy weapon ammo and have to grind it back up again after the event?

you only get one PM reward per day on the first one you do.

Yes, that is correct. Or rather, that was what used to be correct. Now, I don't seem to get anything from the postmaster for completing gold-tier events - once per day or otherwise. Both yesterday and today, I did gold events but received nothing from the postmaster either day. I don't recall that ever happening before - you always got at least the once-per-day postmaster stuff. As I said, the other poster getting a bunch of ascendant materials seems to be luck. My point to the other poster is, I have frequently received ascendant materials in groups of 4 or 5. but then gone on long dry spells, too. I would love to see more material drops to us solo/PvE players. I hope his experience turns out to be the norm and we all start getting more drops. But I'm not holding my breath. ;-)

I don't know if you've seen my post below or not. Yesterday I did 2 public events and got a shard for each one. Today I've done 5 events for a total of 4 shards and 1 energy. I wonder if this is one of the New Ways for leveling up that they didn't tell us about. Because I'm only 3 shards away from hitting lvl 30 at this point.

hmm that is pretty cool. Guess bungie needs to put a notice in the loading screens saying that public events have a high chance to give you ascendants and can be repeated. thanks for the tip buddy