its great to hear that you have fun so far! getting through tough situations is always fun and you learn alot from it.
indeed the community is pretty calm, there are a few black sheep once in a while but that happens everywhere. one reason for this is that the community itself isnt that large as compared to other games.
personally i would recommend, if you want to get better, play against good people, see what they focus on (points, fractures, disemberments, counter attacks...) are just a few to name them.
eventually learn what the strongest moves are in certain mods (and how to counter them) such as shoveling in aikido or lifting in aikidbigdojo. Downside of those is that they are commonly known as "noob" moves because they are hard to counter, but they are incredible strong if you want to play for a win.
also, opener moves, try to fool around sometimes and see what sticks, which opener can bring you to, like grab your opponents leg, head or whatver youre aiming for. eventually you can also copy an opener from other people.
dont forget to have fun, the beginnin can be quite frustrating, but you'll certainly improve over time!