Well, here's my experience with LoTR so far, I'll try to be objective.

Started with the trial a month ago roughly.  (I had actually dl'd a few trials as I had just quit EVE and was looking for a new MMO.  LoTR won easy.  By the way, if you want to appreciate just about ANY MMO, play Eve for a while, then you'll know when you're REALLY being ripped off.  LOL. But I digress and yes, I AM trying to be objective here).

The trial was, well, a bit trying to say the least.  I too had to spend 6 hours dl'ing it, then some more time as the game when I launched it, spent time "verifying" everything, but it "looked like" it was re-downloading the whole game.  After some research, i found that it was not indeed re-downloading itself, just going through a verifying process.  (Turbine should have labeled that process a bit better in my opinion as it was not clear as to what it was doing, but, oh well).

So, finally, I got to playing the trial.  After about 3 days of playing and having a good time I decided that if i could get the game for a half decent price, I'd buy it.  Lucky me, I went to Best Buy and it was on sale for $24.99.  I figured, ok, you get 30 days with that purchase which would be $14.99 anyways, so i'm getting the game, virtually, for 10 bucks.  Ok, I can live with that so I bought it.

I get home, register to make my purchased account active.  I launch game and it starts wanting to do that verifying thing again.  LOL.  I'm like, "Wtf???!!"  (pardon my language).  Not "another" 6 hours! 

So, I decide, "Heck with this."  I install game from game CD's from my purchased game and when I launch the game, it "did" do another verifying thing, but it went very quickly.  (can't remember how long, didn't time it, but it wasn't more than a few minutes if i recall correctly).

Since I've been playing, I think with all this trouble they've been having lately (which from other forums that I've read whilst researching this, seems that this is not the norm for turbine.  They seem to have quite a satisfied customer history as far as I have been able to see so far) I've missed about 3 days I think at most of game play.  Seeing as it's about 50 cents a day, i figure i'm out about a buck 50 so far.  lol.

Lucky for me, MMO's are not my only form of entertainment.  I'm a big UFC fan and there was 3 hours of that to watch tonight while the servers were down.  I play guitar, sing and song-write, so i've got that to do.  I love to create stuff on my comp as i'm a graphics guy for a living so there's that to do.  I can go out as i have a wife and friends to be with if I want (major blessing there if you ask me) so there's that to do.  I exercise as a preventative measure to ward of fatness, so there's that to do......I think you probably get my point here by now.

All that to say a couple of things.

So far, i've really enjoyed LoTR more than almost any other game I've played.  It's worth every penny to me and I don't worry bout 50 cents here or there that gets wasted because I'm SURE i've wasted more money in different ways easily.  Nobody is perfect and even though I'm paying Turbine, I don't expect them to be perfect either.  I just expect them to do their best.  If at some point their best is not worth my money, I'll unsubscribe.  But so far, I'm enjoying the game way too much at the present time to even think about that.

Yes, there has been some hassles, but overall, the fun I've had far outweighs any inconveniences I've experienced so far.

Some people may get offended when i say this, but i'm gonna risk it.  IF you are getting REALLY angry, upset, frustrated etc. from not being able to play LoTR for a day or 2 or even 6, then i might suggest that you put a bit too much importance on it and maybe take the opportunity presented to you at this time to take a break and do something else for a bit.  Even if you couldn't play for a week, it's not the end of the world.  It may actually be a blessing in disguise if you are able to see it.  It's 3 bucks at most or half your trial.  One can always do the trial again, and/or 3 bucks ain't the end of the world.  :)

Haven't had any LoTR this evening but it did make me find this site and register on it which is kinda cool.

To the OP, in about a week or 2, maybe give LoTR another try.  I'm sure it will go smoother and, since i'm new to the game I don't think I qualify as a "fanboy", so try to take this as a fresh opinion. I'm really enjoying the game and from what I read in your original post as to the reasons you wanted to play LoTR in the first place, I think you and your wife would enjoy the game as well.  Just try to be a little patient with Turbine, like I said before, nobody's perfect.  When we stop expecting perfection, we start to discover a whole world of joy out there that we may miss otherwise.

Just my nickels worth, Peace out folks. (wow, haven't typed that much in I don't remember how long.  I think my fingers are sore now).  8-/

 Just bad luck on the timing. I had been playing for I don't know how long straight without any interupts until just today. April 1st. Go figure.

 Well it's all understandable if it's to avoid the dreaded bathroom re-tiling!

That said, I recently got back to Lotro (Euro Servers) and I agree that actually GETTING to the game is a bit of a challenge - and I remember it being so the first time around also. As has been said before the downloader is a bit odd to say the least and moving servers on welcome back week is never a good idea.

However, once in game I have had no problems whatsoever. The game plays very well and I have yet to experience unexpected down time (on a sidenote... euro serves now off to apply patch).

I hope you can sort out your problems with Lotro and give it a fair try. I for one am very happy I decided to give it a second go.

Goodluck!

The game servers were not moved in the data center move, in fact they were up during the entire transfer, you were most likely playing at the time.. also, this recent week or two is extremely atypical of turbine.
 

I'm sorry the OP had such a difficult time getting into the game. long DL times aside I've never had any real issues with the game. It's been rock solid.  Not only that it's probably the best PvE game I've ever played!!

i dont have much problem with lord of the rings as a game . its pretty ok for a pve mmo . a little slow at times as a game though . what i do have a problem is with codemasters/turbines billing that continued to charge my pay pal account inspite of me canceling with them . i gather the problem is with third party billing and i m not alone in having this issue . upon contacting them i had no joy in getting a refund . i personally would nt play any game by them again other than with a time card . i simply dont trust them anymore .

Ok, i'm the OP again....

So my trial has run out.  .... ....  so it says "reactivate"....  I say, "OK fair enough, I'll give them a chance, cause everybody on the boards say it's cool, just a glitch....I dig out my wallet to activate to a Full Account....." guess what I get? Just guess?!?

"Server down for maintenance - sorry for the inconvience." 

I can't EVEN pay these people!!!!!

Going to join my wife and play Bejewled 2.... Bet ya 10 to 1 it launches.

I have a lifetime membership and I usually play every day.   I went to log in last Friday and encountered the dreaded queue, which is a sure sign that the "welcome back" program was being successful.  I decided to log on only briefly over the past few days, and mostly try out a trial "welcome back" period for WAR (I couldn't remember why I left, and this reminded me). 

I have noticed that there have been numerous downtimes over the past week.  I also thought that the datacenter move was poorly timed. 

However, to the OP, I just want to give some encouragement.  I have had more trouble over the past few days with the game than in the previous several months.  I am sure that things will settle down now that the free period has ended for the returning players.

In a few weeks this will all be a bad memory for you, and you will be having a blast in the game.  Unless, of course, you are stuck in your late 20s to early 30s when things can drag along.  That too shall pass.

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

The game servers were not moved in the data center move, in fact they were up during the entire transfer, you were most likely playing at the time.. also, this recent week or two is extremely atypical of turbine.
 

nope wasn't playing, taking a week to actually, install, patch, verify.  That's all I've done.

Originally posted by Squigibo

Originally posted by EbonHawk

Hey here's a thought...

Try decaf.

Anyway, shit happens.  It's just a game.  I'm sure if you calmly tell Turbine about it they'll give you your free time back.

If not, then lesson learned. Move along.

 

That's probably the most immature response to a valid complaint i've ever read.  Grats.

Lmao...

Originally posted by Squigibo

Originally posted by EbonHawk

Hey here's a thought...

Try decaf.

Anyway, shit happens.  It's just a game.  I'm sure if you calmly tell Turbine about it they'll give you your free time back.

If not, then lesson learned. Move along.

 

That's probably the most immature response to a valid complaint i've ever read.  Grats.

   Yoiur post was pretty immature to begin with.Turbine has had a few rough times as of late its the EXCEPTION to what they normally do Turbine is known to do lots and lots of free content and there games are usually pretty darn stable I would almost say usually the least buggy of all mmo's.Not like you cannot make another 10 day account and try it once things are stable for them again.

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience with LOTRo.  The issues surrounding the latest downtime are both network and server so it is taking time to sort out.  Most likely Turbine will roll back everyone's trial period and give them a few days more.  

The game file is very large and that is why it takes so long to download (that and the datacenter move).  

BTW Turbine was not the only game company to have problems on the 1st (also some businesses on the net had problems).

I just went and played GW last night and had great fun (little Gwen dolls running all over the villages...LOL) ..oh yeah and I finally checked Hulu out...Firefly : )

Hey maybe we need a game based on Firefly?

Originally posted by Squigibo

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

The game servers were not moved in the data center move, in fact they were up during the entire transfer, you were most likely playing at the time.. also, this recent week or two is extremely atypical of turbine.
 

nope wasn't playing, taking a week to actually, install, patch, verify.  That's all I've done.

A week?!?!? Did you download on a 56k?