Eric, I don't know if it's old age or just a life stance, but why do you think that the coddling a-la HeroesWorld of past years is something positive?
To develop in any way, you need competition, you need opponents and even enemies, you need struggle, you need a load on the brain, body, and self-esteem. That's why I'm not particularly interested in pleasant, polite, soulful groups; in them, the brain and body decay, and the self-importance flows into a zone of inadequacy. But the atmosphere of a fight of N bulldogs under the carpet is just what the doctor ordered.
For instance, if Alex calls me a noob and somehow argues it — that has a positive effect on my development, even if he is wrong. But bowing and scraping a-la Dubrovin only makes me depressed.
So, the path you see for World, I do not consider something positive. In my understanding, it's stagnation, a nursing home for the young-at-heart.
And stop badmouthing Bai; he is as alive as can be. A landing party, mostly from Bai, will soon visit you and, as usual, will outplay all competitors. As for them not writing on the forum, there's simply no need for it. The Community and the idea that binds it haven't gone anywhere; they are marching through the Heroes community, only developing, strengthening, and gaining adherents. Now that is a worthy path.