Help for New Players

[Cherubina]

To help players find the answers they are looking for as quickly as possible, this post is divided into three sections. The section headings, and the types of questions they attempt to answer, are as follows:

• Account/Subscription FAQ: Includes information on forum accounts, account management, subscription types, upgrading and payment options.
• Download/Installation FAQ: Includes information on downloading, installing and launching the game client.
• Gameplay FAQ: Includes information on server selection, class selection and finding help in and out of game.

Account/Subscription FAQ

STOP!! Attention! European Customers: The game client distributed and sold by Codemasters for the European market does not work for play on Turbine's North American servers. If you downloaded off-site (fileplanet, FILEshack, etc.) then you have the European game client. If you wish to play on the US servers, download and install the client from Turbine, HERE. If you wish to play on the European servers, you must download and install the Codemasters version, and create a Codemasters account. Visit the Codemasters site, HERE.

What is the difference between a Free Trial and a Referral?

• Seven Day Free Trial: This subscription is available to anyone and allows a guest to play for seven (7) days without purchasing the game or paying subscription fees. This type of subscription is restricted, and trial guests may not post outside of the Free Trial forums or send private messages on the forums. Trial guests may not send tells**, use the mail system, trade with other players, or use the Auction House in-game.
  
  Upgrading this type of subscription allows players to continue playing all trial characters and is subject to normal subscription fees once upgraded.
  
  **NOTE: If another player adds a Trial Guest to their Friends List in-game, the Trial Guest will be able to send tells to that player.
• Normal Referral: This subscription is available through an email invitation issued by a player with a full retail subscription and normal pricing options via their Account Management page and allows a guest to play for ten (10) days without purchasing the game or paying subscription fees. This type of subscription is unrestricted, and Referral Guests may use all forum and in-game systems.
  
  Upgrading this type of subscription allows players to continue playing all trial characters and is subject to normal subscription fees once upgraded.
• Founder's Referral: This subscription is available through an email invitation issued by a player with a full retail subscription and founder's pricing options via their Account Management page and allows a guest to play for ten (10) days without purchasing the game or paying subscription fees. This type of subscription is unrestricted, and Founder's Referral Guests may use all forum and in-game systems.
  
  Upgrading this type of subscription allows players to continue playing all trial characters and is subject to founder's subscription fees once upgraded.

Can I upgrade my Free Trial subscription to a Normal or Founder's Referral subscription?

No. Referrals, of either type, are good for new subscriptions only. You may add a referral subscription to your existing account**, but it may not be used to upgrade any existing subscription.

**NOTE: Referrals are linked to email addresses, and only one referral may be sent to a single email address. To read the Referral Program rules, Click HERE

What is the difference between Normal Pricing and Founder's Pricing?

• Normal Pricing: Subscription fees under normal pricing are $14.99/mo or $299 for a Lifetime Membership. Purchasing game time in 3, 6, or 12 month blocks will cost less per month. Gamecards may be used under the normal pricing plan.**
  
  **NOTE: For more information regarding payment options under normal pricing, Click HERE
• Founder's Pricing: Subscription fees under founder's pricing are $9.99/mo or $199 for a Lifetime Membership. Purchasing game time in 3, 6, or 12 month blocks will cost less per month. Gamecards may NOT be used under the founder's pricing plan.**
  
  **NOTE: Using a gamecard or cancelling your subscription for any reason will void founder's pricing options.

How do I get a Founder's Referral?

If you have a friend who has founder's pricing, and has not yet sent out ten referrals, you can request that they send a referral. You will need to provide them with a valid email address.

If you do not know someone with founder's pricing who can send you a referral, you may request a referral by posting your email address in the Founder's Referral Thread, stickied in this forum.

If I upgrade my founder's referral to a full subscription, can I give founder's pricing to others?

Yes, if you have founder's pricing, your first ten referrals can also get founder's pricing when they convert to full subscriptions.

If I have founder's pricing, am I considered a Founder?

No, only those who preordered, and have maintained an active subscription since launch, are considered Founders. Founders may get other benefits that are not available to those who obtained the pricing through referral.

If I started characters on a Free Trial and switched to a Referral subscription, can I keep playing my characters?

No, you will have to create new characters on the referral subscription. If you are switching from a Free Trial to a Referral subscription, and wish to use the same character names, be sure to delete those characters from the Free Trial before it expires, or those names will be unavailable to you.

Do I have to buy the game in order to upgrade my trial/referral to a full subscription?

Yes. You must have a retail product key in order to upgrade a trial/referral subscription. You can buy a digital download (they will email the product key) or Special Edition from the Turbine Store. You may also purchase the boxed version from other online outlets (Amazon, Gamestop, EBGames, etc.) or from your local PC Game retailer.**

**NOTE: The didital download is available only to North America, Australia and New Zealand. Games sold at retail outlets in Europe, or online outlets for the European market, cannot be used to play on Turbine servers. European customers who wish to play on North American (Turbine) servers may be able to purchase the Turbine version online to be shipped to them, or may purchase a product key (delivered via email) online at Online CD Key.

How do I upgrade my trial/referral subscription with my retail product key?

Log into your account at http://myaccount.turbine.com. Enter your retail product key in the Activation box at the top of your account page and click "Submit" You will be prompted for payment information, and asked if you wish to upgrade your existing subscription. If you have more than one upgradeable subscription on the account, you will be asked to choose the one you wish to upgrade.

I'm supposed to get 30 free days when I buy the game. Why do I have to enter payment information?

Payment details are required at the time you activate your retail product key, but you will not be billed until the free thirty days, plus any remaining time on your trial/referral, have elapsed. The day your account will be charged will be reflected under the "Next Billing Cycle" portion of your account page.

Can I transfer my characters from one account/subscription to another?

No, this service is not available.

Can I transfer my characters from one server to another?

Yes. If you have an active paid subscription you may request a World Character Transfer.**

**NOTE: This is a Premium Service and fees apply.

Can I rename my characters or Kinship?

Yes. If you have an active paid subscription you may request a Character Rename or a Kinship Rename.**

**NOTE: These are a Premium Services and fees apply.


How do I change/merge my Forum ID?

Players cannot change their Forum IDs. If you wish to change your ID, or use an ID associated with your previous forum account, you may request such a change/merge by using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the forum page. Be sure to include your current forum ID the ID you wish to change to/merge with, and the email address/es associated with the account/s.

Download/Installation FAQ

Gameplay FAQ

Hope it helped, and welcome to Middle-earth.

~ Cherubina

[Anubias]

Cherubina,

Nice work as usual! I was looking for the servers descriptions the other day to post here, on these Trial Forums, but "Search" failed me. Anyway, if you know where the server "unofficial" descriptions thread can be found, it might be helpful to post them here for the new players.

EDIT: Also, I thought I would include this little tidbit of information:

Question: What are the three most populated servers?

Answer: Brandywine, Landroval and Elendilmir respectively...according to the community, there is no hard data on this from Turbine.

Question: What are the least populated servers?

Answer: Windfola, Nimrodel and Vilya.

[Cherubina]

Cherubina,

Nice work as usual! I was looking for the servers descriptions the other day to post here, on these Trial Forums, but "Search" failed me. Anyway, if you know where the server "unofficial" descriptions thread can be found, it might be helpful to post them here for the new players.

ROFL I was updating the OP to include the "unofficial" server info when you posted. Great minds......and all that

[sariana57]

Why does all of her posts become stickies?

Nice work as usual

[Cherubina]

Why does all of her posts become stickies?

Everytime a thread is stickied an angel gets her wings.


*Now, if you believe that, I have a nice bit of land in the Midgewater Marshes for sale*

[Anubias]

Why does all of her posts become stickies?

I think she works at Office Depot or OfficeMax....that would explain it.

[thekingofkings2009]

whats the busiest server?

[sariana57]

whats the busiest server?

Question: What are the three most populated servers?

Answer: Brandywine, Landroval and Elendilmir respectively...according to the community, there is no hard data on this from Turbine.

Question: What are the least populated servers?

Answer: Windfola, Nimrodel and Vilya.a

It was already in this forum Turbine has never released any numbers, but this is the consensus of the players.....

Welcome to Middle Earth!

[bobbyboby2]

Where do you get an online key code?




"FOR THE SHIRE!!!"

[Alexis_Starfire]

http://onlinecdkey.com/index/lordoft...key-p-186.html

Cheers

[marketroid]

Where do you get an online key code?




"FOR THE SHIRE!!!"

We sell the digital version of the game direct at our online store. Since you already have the trial installed, you simply use the product key you get when purchasing to upgrade your account.

Thanks for playing!

[rodzon2006]

Unofficial Server Designations

All of Turbine's servers are under a single ruleset. There are no officially designated servers for PvP, Role Playing or specific time zones. All servers are located in Massachusetts, USA. Prior to launch however certain segments of the LOTRO Community got together to choose certain servers on which to meet with like-minded players. While you will find all types of players on all servers, below are listed the servers chosen as "unofficial" gathering places for certain types of players.

PvMP/Player vs. Monster Player Server (LOTRO's version of PvP, also know as Monster Play) is Meneldor

RP/Role Playing Server is Landroval

Oceania/Australia New Zealand Time Zones Server is Elendilmir



Hope this is helpful, and welcome to Middle-earth.

I hope that Oceania refers to us here in Asia im from the Philippines and wonders if there are many people i can play with in that server during our time thanks

[VittraXI]

I hope that Oceania refers to us here in Asia im from the Philippines and wonders if there are many people i can play with in that server during our time thanks

You wont go wrong with Elendilmir, lots of Singapore players are there also.

[ElfHorse25]

We sell the digital version of the game direct at our online store. Since you already have the trial installed, you simply use the product key you get when purchasing to upgrade your account.

Thanks for playing!

Can you re-install a 14-day trial on multiple computers? Can you give me specific directions? I have a disc, but one of the product keys won't work.

[Cherubina]

This thread has recently been updated with additional information taken from a post I made, that is now stickied, in the Account Support Questions forum. Seemed appropriate to include the information here as well, since many trial players may not see that post.

Happy Adventuring!

~ Cherubina

P. S. I am working on reformatting and adding more information in the OP to make it easier to locate the answers you may be looking for. I beg your indulgence while construction is underway. Thanks!

[darkcount3]

hey this is darkcount3 i need your help again. When i double click the icon and after it gets all loaded up it said connection error. what do i do now?

[Cherubina]

hey this is darkcount3 i need your help again. When i double click the icon and after it gets all loaded up it said connection error. what do i do now?

Can you tell me exactly what the error says?

Two things to try first:

1. Make sure you add lotroclient.exe, TurbineLauncher.exe and TurbineInvoker.exe to the exceptions list in your Firewall.

2. If you are using Vista, make sure you have Vista Service Pack 1 installed.

Also, you should read the Network Troubleshooting sticky in the Free Trial Assistance forum to help resolve connection issues.

[mrspoon]

How do you get that cool character thing in your signature on this site? Just like Cherubina's has.

[Penter-Kar]

How do you get that cool character thing in your signature on this site? Just like Cherubina's has.

You have to be Cherubina LOL... You can get your own signature by going into the User Control Panel, select Edit Signature, and scroll down. There is a section called Character Signatures that allow you to select which of your characters you want to create a signature for.

- Pent

[stickbreaker93]

do i have to have online to play this..or is there a solo play mode?

[Radiopools]

do i have to have online to play this..or is there a solo play mode?

Online only.

[Lordatit]

how do i play when i have a free account because i cant play the game or log in the website

[Eluros]

Great post! Added reputation to you. As well, sent you a PM; if you don't mind, give it a read, sometime.

EDIT: I now see that the original post is from 2007. Hopefully everyone can get answers that they need here. If not, there is a link in my signature that may help to answer some questions, as well.

[Cithryth]

The Big List of Helpful LOTRO Sites

[Saintjoan]

Welcome to all new players, whether you be F2P, or subscription. It's great to have you here.