Elixir (@shmups on Twitter) has created a Discord server for shmups fans, players and developers. You can join it by clicking this link: disc.gg/shmups
The forum here is very quiet these days, most people have moved away from forums to Facebook and Discord for their online discussions. I recommend this Discord channel to anyone interested in shmups! It’s a very active community with high-score runs, discussion of new-releases and developers posting their work.