I don't think that right away a forum needs tons of features.

As a forum progresses features should be added, kept, and updated. Eventually it turns into a forum that seems to have tons of features but they are all useful.

When it starts off slow and builds up you can see what works and what doesn't. It lets you get a feel for what would work and how well it would. Forums that do this usually end up dieing eventually mainly because, or at least what I think, is people get bored. They are used to the common feature updates and they just want more. There is already so much that only little bits can be added.

It's probably better for a simple, or old school forum; sticking with little features. Although it will attract more members at first, it usually ends up you can't do much in the end. The old school forums usually go at a slower rate and by the time they get to that point they've been open for years and people are too emotionally attached they don't want to leave.

For example, Provision runs a point system... it took thought to implement it, and yet it delivers little results: I haven't been active since it started up over a year ago, and yet I am still on the list of top point-getters, and am not incredibly far from the upper members.