But an MMO is what it is, and they all feel similar in the end. SWTOR is fun if you're looking for an MMO. I've got both right now, because I lucked out with gifts. Skyrim is essentially Morrowind on crack (I refuse to acknowledge the existence of Oblivion), so I doubt you'll enjoy it that much more just because it's the latest iteration of the franchise. That being said, based on your post, I think you'd enjoy the latter much more. If you're really set on either Skyrim or SWTOR, then I would personally prefer the former. Plus, it has a monthly fee, and it sounds like cost might be an issue for you after the first 'free' months run out. SWTOR is brand new, so you may deal with things like server queues. Plus, as others are already mentioning, a game like Skyrim is usually best purchased after all the DLC and mods have come out, which takes about a year. Or, you can splurge on one of the many Pack Deals/Bundles for the same price as a single game. If you want an (action) RPG, GameStop (digital) has Dragon Age II at $29.99 now.
Steam has Deus Ex: Human Revolution on sale for $16.99, Total War: Shogun 2 for $7.49, Portal 2 for $14.99, etc. If you're really looking to get the most bang for your buck, I'd fill out my catalog with all those games before paying the price premium on recent releases like Skyrim and SWTOR. A lot of really good games came out in this past year.
