Thanks for the helpful reply. Yes, the community is one of the best things about DU, in my opinion. Both good and bad talk is good. I think the community is also not just direct communication between users but also things that the community built in game or showed off.
I've dabbled a bit in Lua and industry (more so the latter, but I've coded a simple "bouncing ball" simulation for a screen too.) PVP is also something I've wanted to do, too, but it's something that requires a bit of investment and commitment in my opinion. Thanks as well for the info on the other stuff like the talent points, IAR, and the newsletter!