Oh, dear, I seem to have stepped into one of those neverending debates, like whether fonts should have serifs or not. Anyway, it's sounding like NV will be the one for me. I did love the original games (in fact, if I can ever find the time, I'm considering playing them again), and I keep hearing that 3 is very combat-heavy. I've also heard that people who started with F1 tend to enjoy NV more, and people who were first introduced to the series with 3 don't like NV.
Also, a friend of mine who plays both F3 and Skyrim expressed frustration at the differences in the controls, and he often makes the mistake of pressing the wrong button at critical moments. Maybe I should keep Skyrim as my go-to Bethesda game, and go for what sounds like the more "old school Fallout" feel of NV.
By the way, I don't do DLC. I don't have nearly enough to even install and try out 75% of the games I buy, let alone expand on them. Two jobs and a Youtube series. Not a lot of spare time for games. Makes me *almost* miss being a teenager sometimes. Almost.
Anyway, I'll think it over. I appreciate all the input, and I welcome more. Just... don't fight, ok guys? <3