mh. well.
first off: it takes a lot longer to reach max level in lotro in general. (though that of course also depends on your playstyle, but in swtor you can make it to max in a matter of a few days, where in lotro that would probably be a far stretch)
combat is a lot slower, and like in pvp in swtor you have to always face your opponent in lotro even in pve
pvp in lotro is also very different since there are no opposing factions - and no pvp-server. you have the so-called 'monster play' instead, which is done in a specific area, and the 'monsters' are normal player from your server (you can unlock your monster characters when you're lvl 10 iirc)
lotro has a lot more 'fluff' than swtor has. housing, for example, and of course the music playing (you can 'learn' instruments and then play songs, either manually or download files to have them play in-game, even sync them with your party when you play different instruments)
it has less variety at end-game, but of course quite a bit more 'in general' since it's been around longer. I don't know how relevant the old dungeons are these days, though, since there have been a lot of changes made since the last time I actually did 'end-game' (I stopped playing 'seriously' roughly the same time SWTOR went into late beta :P)
I'd say both games make people happy when they are into the whole universe, and there's a lot of 'background lore' in lotro, so same as in SWTOR, if you know more than just the 'basics' you will find yourself nerding out hardcore in LOTRO. lol (the game is mostly based on the LOTR books of course, but you get a lot of background info on the first and second age, 'lost' information, meet people mentioned in other 'middle earth works', some of the lore is based on tolkien's son's stuff, the hobbit found its way into the game long before there was talk about making it a movie.. things like that)
it's of course a little dated, but I still find the graphics to be quite nice. the events are a lot of fun (drinking games, haunted house for halloween, a labyrinth during summer, fist fights... lol)
all in all I'd say lotro has a few more 'iconic' moments than SWTOR does. I have to say the first time my kinship fought the balrog was pretty awesome, and of course the questline when your character first steps into moria is pretty epic
I honestly can't even say I enjoy SWTOR more, not in general. I still enjoy lotro a lot, I just don't play it 'seriously' anymore. I was in a hardcore progression kinship (including being main raid healer.. ugh) before I stopped playing and I got a little 'burned out' on it.
oh yeah. I played lotro for roughly 3 years regularly before it became an 'every once in a while' thing. definitely worth my time. which game I like better over all I will be able to say in about a year's time :P
edit: I gave in. my hunter is now lvl 50. lol -.-
these guys covered it well though
