Thread: cannot get past the character selection screen on my laptop

The game works fine on two of the other computers in the house but last week the game stopped working on my laptop (my crafting computer). Since hte problem started I'm uninstalled and re-installed twice without any change. I've checked for windows updates and even checked on the directx software.
I've changed the video settings to low and the directx to 9 on the other computer. This did change the settings when I log on with the laptop but am still unable to select a character and start the game.
I am very frustrated.

Someone please help.

What exactly does it do at the character select screen?

In the mean time, things you can try:

Make sure your video driver is up to date.

From the LotRO Launcher, go to options (small arrow in the top right) Go to the repair tab, and check the box. This will reset the video options on that computer (the video options are saved on the computer, not the game server, so changing them on one computer wont do you any good)

If that doesn't work, go to your documents folder, find the Lord of the Rings Online folder, and open it. Inside should be a userprefs.ini Delete it. This should reset all your config type options on the computer.

I have been having the same issue since the downtime last monday and havent been able to log into the game since.....the game just freezes over and loses connection on the loading screen after selecting the character.....

No working solution from the support ticket yet....

Ok so re-installing or replacing the game files with any backup ones does solve this problem.....so I'm guessing its some corrupted game file that causes this....

Originally Posted by KalimniHFC

What exactly does it do at the character select screen?

In the mean time, things you can try:

Make sure your video driver is up to date.

From the LotRO Launcher, go to options (small arrow in the top right) Go to the repair tab, and check the box. This will reset the video options on that computer (the video options are saved on the computer, not the game server, so changing them on one computer wont do you any good)

If that doesn't work, go to your documents folder, find the Lord of the Rings Online folder, and open it. Inside should be a userprefs.ini Delete it. This should reset all your config type options on the computer.

At the character selection screen I can move the mouse around and the descriptive text will pop up but I cannot select anything on the screen. It is as if neither the right or left mouse button do not work and double clicking on anything on the screen has no effect. Further the keyboard seems not to work either with the exception of the esc key which will allow me to exit the game.

Good advice on checking the video driver. I will do that as soon as I log off of this computer.

I have tried the LOTRO launcher repair tab and performed that action a few times now. It has had no effect.

I will go ahead and find the ini file and delete it but I'm thinking that since I've uninstalled and reinstalled twice already that it will have not effect. I hope I'm wrong.

Thank you for taking the time to try and help me out.

Good hunting

Originally Posted by Krak-Jawbreaker

I have tried the LOTRO launcher repair tab and performed that action a few times now. It has had no effect.

all the repair tab does is reset your graphics settings to the default and some say to do this after the deleting the ini file

I will go ahead and find the ini file and delete it but I'm thinking that since I've uninstalled and reinstalled twice already that it will have not effect. I hope I'm wrong.

unfortunatly not, you would think and uninstall would but it dosent, the userpreferences.ini and lotro.keymap and other files in (my)doc\the lord of the rings online are untouched by an uninstall

I've tried everything that has been suggested and there is no changge.

My husband too has been having the same issues... we have tried un-installing and re-installing the game, the repair way through the lotro launcher and also deleted the user preferences but still not able to select the character he wishes to play. We are able to get up to the character screen though... just not further... starting to get pretty discouraged here... anyone else had any luck getting the issue fixed?

The original poster said:

Originally Posted by Krak-Jawbreaker

I've changed the video settings to low and the directx to 9 on the other computer. This did change the settings when I log on with the laptop but am still unable to select a character and start the game.
I am very frustrated.

Someone please help.

That would not have changed directx on the laptop.

You need to log on with the laptop. At the character selecton screen press the "Options" button (Do not press "Enter Middle Earth").
On the Options screen make sure "Graphics Hardware Level" is set to Direct X 9 (not 10 or 11) AND then press the "ACCEPT" button on the bottom right of that screen.

if switching to dx9 does not resolve your problem install the latest drivers for your graphics card\chip, especialy (but not limited to) if your using intel graphics

Originally Posted by silverblade5445

I have been having the same issue since the downtime last monday and havent been able to log into the game since.....the game just freezes over and loses connection on the loading screen after selecting the character.....

No working solution from the support ticket yet....

I'm not sure about the general character selection screen issue, but this one seems similar to a problem I've been having.

I too ran into a very similar problem that became horrible with Update 7, to the point where I get bounced from in game, not just the selection screen. I used to be able to fix it by logging one of my alts first, then my Warden.

However, I wanted to post as I think I may have a work-around - try muting your in-game sounds from the character select screen options menu. I know it sounds weird, but it actually worked for me. There's been reports of a number of audio issues lately, and it appears this might be one of them.

I have no clue if it will help, but as frustrated as I was with this problem I thought I'd share a potential option.

Good luck!