About the use of forum as advertising instead of the game…
If the book and mailbox, which are suggested several times, coming in game there could be some kind of a printing press.
So shopkeeper and other services can send out ads to mailboxes around the area, or to city or planet?
In the mailbox or beacon you can set if you want those or not, and if you want them you have to pay a small fee.
Maybe a publisher as a new job/role.