Innovation in compensation

Lord of the Rings Online had a couple of issues with their login servers after release. Not totally unexpected, but annoying nevertheless. So following industry standards Codemasters is giving out a couple of free days as compensation. But unlike other companies, Codemasters has a problem there: How do you give compensation to somebody with a lifetime subscription? Lifetime + 4 days doesn't make sense. So they came up with the following announcement:

To make up for your frustrations and time lost during the downtimes, we would like to give you some tokens of our gratitude.

For every player that had a current subscription as of 20th May, 2007 we will be giving the in-game bonus item
Name: "The Glass of Aglaral"
What it is: Bag item
Type of object: Bound
Enhancements modifier: 1+ Hope

For Lifetime subscription customers we will be giving the in-game item:
Name: "The Fallen Star of Gil-Galad"
What it is: Pocket item
Type of object: Bound
Enhancements modifier: +1.5 Power Regeneration in non-combat

For non-Lifetime subscription customers we will be giving:
4 days free game time, which will be added to all accounts that had a current subscription as of 20th May, 2007.

The extra game time will be added within the next week, whilst the items will be added with the Shores of Evendim update, (Turbine need to build these into the next update).

Nice idea, I had already thought that I'd forever lose out on all compensation in situation like these. The items aren't great, but it is the thought that counts. :)