I feel like I'm the only one who thinks closing the local boards is a bad idea. They're the only place that I feel gives a sense of the continent evolving around your realm. Without that, realms might as well be singular islands to me that merge when there's a war and then quickly separate again afterward. It also give's a very, for lack of a better metaphor, "bar-top" feel where people discuss the events going on in a (sometimes) objective way.
At the same time, the local forums have definitely influenced me IC. I hate D'Harans because of the forums and like Niselur. My feelings have definetly changed towards individual players too (though this is more from IRC than anyrthing else)