Hi Lori!

When viewing the forum for a specific game, the link for 'New Topic' appears above the list of existing forum topics. If you're visiting these forums on a desktop computer, just use press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Command + F (Mac) to search on the page for the phrase 'New Topic', if you're still having difficulty finding it. While within a specific post, you can also click on the 'Topic Options' tab to open a drop-down menu, which contains the 'New Topic' option.

Regarding your maxed out technologies, this means you've reached the maximum possible levels in the chapter you're playing - Chapter 1 is maxed at Level 3 and Chapter 2 at Level 5.