I felt that way about AC/DC when I first got it. Hadn't played pinball in forever. Actually bought LOTR right after and played it for a month straight. Got to be a much better player. Not good, mind you. Just much better than the awful player I was.

Just be patient.

You can make all kinds of adjustments to the tilt to suit your playing style. I have my tilt setting kind of light. But it won't tilt until after a few warnings. Works for me.

Almost forgot. If you don't like balrog coming out when it's not for fellowship multiball, shut it off. Should definitely help with the drains. It wasn't originally designed to be used out of multiball in the game anyway. Some leave it on, some turn it off. To each his own.

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lotr-ownersplayers-disable-consolationbash-balrog

This may help you out:

http://www.pinball.org/rules/lordoftherings.txt

Well as long as we're being critical.

Wow.....learn to check the dates on the thread is all I've got to say. This an old thread brought back up because someone else had a question about the game. Guess you couldn't get past your criticism of the OP to figure that out though.

If you want to be a jerk, at least attempt to look intelligent while you do it.