Turbine has announced that they are holdiong a welcome back weekend from March 26 to 31, where former players will be able to play for free and gain experience bonuses.

To help celebrate our latest free update for LOTRO we'd like to welcome you back for an extended weekend of free gameplay from March 26-31, 2009*. In addition, there is a +25% bonus experience boost on mob kills for everyone playing on those days!

The latest free update for THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE, BOOK 7: LEAVES OF LÓRIEN is now available. It includes some great features we think you’ll enjoy. Here are some things waiting for you when you come back to LOTRO for these free play days:

• GAIN FREE LEVELS! – Recent game enhancements will let your existing characters gain free levels the first time they earn any XP!
• PLAY YOUR OLD CHARACTERS - They're Waiting Right Where You Left Them!
• NEW REPUTATION FACTION - The Elves of Lothlórien
• NEW 12-MAN RAID - Head to the Waterworks of Moria!
• NEW BEGINNER EXPERIENCE - Level Faster, New Quests & Tutorials
• QUEST GUIDE FEATURE (Beta) - Track Active Quests on World Maps
• THE SPRING FESTIVAL RETURNS - Enjoy New Tasks and Activities

Read more here.

This is a great chance to try all the recent changes.

This is for the European players too?

Definitely...I think Turbine is doing an awesome job of running and keeping LotRo relevant.  I've been having fun with AoC, but it's time to go back for the weekend at least.

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Originally posted by Jolo
This is for the European players too?

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Figured I'd ask my random question here. Which server [North American] is the one all the role-players are on? When I started playing it never occured to me to try to find the "RP Server". I just started up and did my usual solo thing. Just wanted to know where all the role-players hung out. Thanks.

Originally posted by Sanguinia

Figured I'd ask my random question here. Which server [North American] is the one all the role-players are on? When I started playing it never occured to me to try to find the "RP Server". I just started up and did my usual solo thing. Just wanted to know where all the role-players hung out. Thanks.

Supposedly Landroval

the rp us server u wanna play on is called "Landroval" also has a big population

Edit: NM, I went to the normal installer page and am downloading it that way... wonder why the difference.

Originally posted by eric_w66

I only played my free month when LOTRO opened, and I have no idea where my disks are... it gives a link to download the clients, but when I run those setups, it asks for a disk for Moria.... which I did not buy of course, since I was unsubbed.

 

Any idea what to do?

Thanks.

 

Download the trail, log in with your old user and password?

Thank you, those who answered me!

I downloaded the hi rez client again, installed and tried to log in my account and said I had to pay for it.

I have a good standing on my credit card, I wasn't banned, nor was my credit card ever declined.  I sent them a message and hope to hear back from them, as I want to try the game again I just don't want to pay to see if I like it and then waste 10 bucks if I don't.  Hopefully they get back to me and let me know what the problem is.

I get the feeling the free weekend hasn't started yet, since it is the "26th" and it just barely became the 26th.

(Yes, I checked myself just now hehe).

I always love it when games do this. I've been wanting to see how this game is these days.

Originally posted by Koroshiya

I downloaded the hi rez client again, installed and tried to log in my account and said I had to pay for it.

 

I have a good standing on my credit card, I wasn't banned, nor was my credit card ever declined.  I sent them a message and hope to hear back from them, as I want to try the game again I just don't want to pay to see if I like it and then waste 10 bucks if I don't.  Hopefully they get back to me and let me know what the problem is.

I am in the same situation. I bought the collector's edition back in 2007, played for awhile. Quit in good standing. Spent some time last night downloading and updating the files. It's now nearly 10am and when I try to log on, it says my account has expired. There are no official Turbine posts anywhere as to when this event officially begins.

A somewhat odd way to get people to want to spend their money to "return" ;-) Hope I can try it again, otherwise I will just take a pass and keep playing the games that communicate a little bit more effectively than this.

Peace now.

It appears to me that Turbine isn't pushing this Welcome Back program very hard.  I was a beta tester and a Founder, but haven't heard a word from Turbine about this.  It seems to me that the best way to get vets to return is to send them an email invite.

I don't know if I want to d/l the hi-rez client again just for a weekend trial.  In the end I probably will, and will probably wonder why I wasted my time.

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=258030

Seems they haven't turned it on yet... wish they'd have done a little more in the way of PR for this (like emailing me).

Originally posted by eric_w66

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=258030

 

Seems they haven't turned it on yet... wish they'd have done a little more in the way of PR for this (like emailing me).

They seemed to be inconsistant with the e-mails.  I got one, my brother didn't. 

Originally posted by Ionselon

It appears to me that Turbine isn't pushing this Welcome Back program very hard.  I was a beta tester and a Founder, but haven't heard a word from Turbine about this.  It seems to me that the best way to get vets to return is to send them an email invite.

Its on the main site, its on this site, its in the launcher, and they sent out e-mails to all X accounts. It clearly states its for NA only, as Codemasters runs the EU version.

Try Noon, as its only 11AM here in the EST.

Yep as of 11:17am EST, accounts are still not activated for those who qualify <like me> so..wait wait wait..and hey, it's my Birthday Turbine! Get a move on!

Crow T

I resubbed yesterday hope that didnt mess up my free weekend but if it did im still glad i came back.

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by Ionselon

It appears to me that Turbine isn't pushing this Welcome Back program very hard.  I was a beta tester and a Founder, but haven't heard a word from Turbine about this.  It seems to me that the best way to get vets to return is to send them an email invite.

Its on the main site, its on this site, its in the launcher, and they sent out e-mails to all X accounts.

 

I didn't receive an email so, no, they didn't send emails to all former account holders.  And no, my email addy hasn't changed.

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by Ionselon

It appears to me that Turbine isn't pushing this Welcome Back program very hard.  I was a beta tester and a Founder, but haven't heard a word from Turbine about this.  It seems to me that the best way to get vets to return is to send them an email invite.

Its on the main site, its on this site, its in the launcher, and they sent out e-mails to all X accounts. It clearly states its for NA only, as Codemasters runs the EU version.

Try Noon, as its only 11AM here in the EST.

 

I guess we just took them too literally.  After all, the 26th started at 12:00 AM, so why would we think they really meant 12:00 PM?  What's 12 hours amongst friends?

Originally posted by Ionselon

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by Ionselon

It appears to me that Turbine isn't pushing this Welcome Back program very hard.  I was a beta tester and a Founder, but haven't heard a word from Turbine about this.  It seems to me that the best way to get vets to return is to send them an email invite.

Its on the main site, its on this site, its in the launcher, and they sent out e-mails to all X accounts.

 

 

I didn't receive an email so, no, they didn't send emails to all former account holders.  And no, my email addy hasn't changed.

Plus, not many people I know visit this site regularly, nor would they see the launcher or go to the website of a game they no longer play.  Its a good promo, they should have gotten the word out sooner and more consistantly.  I've forwarded the link to a couple people now since we all left the game a long time ago there was no one that knew about it.

Originally posted by Ionselon

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by Ionselon

It appears to me that Turbine isn't pushing this Welcome Back program very hard.  I was a beta tester and a Founder, but haven't heard a word from Turbine about this.  It seems to me that the best way to get vets to return is to send them an email invite.

Its on the main site, its on this site, its in the launcher, and they sent out e-mails to all X accounts.

 

 

I didn't receive an email so, no, they didn't send emails to all former account holders.  And no, my email addy hasn't changed.

Anyone who has an e-mail account knows there are many reasons this could happen. Anyway, as far as things go, they did what anyone would have expected them to do as far as communication.... All avenues were used, its all over the net. What more could you want?

I mean, you guys are saying you haven't heard a word about it, yet your posting in a thread that just happens to be....about it, with a full article on the front page of a site you go to.........

The real issue is.... you guys want in...but can't right now...for whatever reason. The announcement went out of the 24th.