Which should I play first? Fallout 3 or Fallout: New Vegas?

I bought both (regular FO3 and all DLC pack for FONV, cheap thanks to summer sale)
But which one should I play first? I hear FO3 is good but it's FONV I want to play, but do I need FO3 for context?

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SW-User

Play New Vegas first, then if 3 is needed for context, you'll get neat little surprises while you play it :)

TetrisGuy · 26-30, M

@SW-User Oh awesome! But does 3 occur before NV? How long does it take for a competent gamer (I've never played anything like Fallout) to beat the main storyline (i.e. if I ignore most of the side quests)? See I usually stick to puzzles, turn-based RPGs, and platformers (except for SSB). I don't know how I'll fare in Fallout.

SW-User

@TetrisGuy I don't know, as I've never played any Fallout games. Just take your time and have fun.

TetrisGuy · 26-30, M

Ah, this was directed towards people who HAVE played the game :P

SW-User

@TetrisGuy Oh OK. I know when I'm not wanted :(

TetrisGuy · 26-30, M

Nah it's not that you're not wanted, but it's just that you wouldn't be able to help with this specific question :P

Reboot153 · 22-25, M

@TetrisGuy Yes, FO3 occurs during the timeline of 2277 (specifically starting at August 17, 9:04am). No matter how long the player takes to complete the game the un-official accepted timeline states that the game also finishes that year with the completion of the key objective of the game.

Fallout: New Vegas takes place in 2281 (again, specifically with the intro happening on October 11th and the actual game starting on October 19th at 8:00am). As a side note, Fallout 4 begins on October 23rd, 2287.

As for which one to play first, you choose. The games are mostly independent of each other. You can play any of them without having played others (I've never played #2 or Tactics but I've finished #1, #3 and done a lot of work in NV, still playing #4).

If you're interested in the timeline of the Fallout world you can find more about it on their Wiki page:

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline