I'm still in Goodsprings, exploring around, getting the feel of the game. Spent a few hours playing, have a few saves, both manual and auto.
Last night after loading one of the last manual saves I got a message that you'd get if you pre-ordered and first started the game, the one about new armor and weapons being added to inventory. All my inventory is reset to the beginning and items acquired since are lost. I was able to recover from that by loading an earlier save, but these 'random' resets to inventory are unacceptable and are really annoying.

Btw, talking to Doc Mitchell is hazardous to your health. Getting ready for the ambush on Power Gangers, I went to see the Doc to get some supplies. As soon as I walked into his house, the game pulled 'fade out' effect as if I was on drugs and feeling a withdrawal and everything is blurry. As soon as I see the Doc, my neck snaps backwards and I freeze (as I should, if my neck is snapped...).
So for all you, explorers, wanting some med supplies from the Doc, stay away... Or get paralyzed as soon as you see him. Reloading the game from last auto save works, which is good cause the game saves as soon as you enter the house.

System:
Win XP,
nVidia,
All hardware is capable of running the game.

Two things, that fuzzy looking effect is when your head is crippled, so check you stats.

As to the main issue for your post, you are describing a Corrupted Save, classic example. Since you are at the beginning, try this, Start a new game, but turn off all the Autosave features. Your probably got this from loading an Autosave that was getting dodgy. I hate to say it, but we would probably have half the threads that we do have (other than getting the game to run threads) if the Autosave features were not in this game.

Thanks, I'll give 'no autosave' a try.
I'll check the stats, but I'm pretty sure there is no damage to the head as I haven't really fought anybody, shot at the geckos - yes, but dispatched them before they could get close to hurt me.