If I had the chance, I'd make something that looks aesthetic.
I'd craft a diamond-shaped broadsword (a quick sketch http://piczasso.com/i/1mb1x.jpg).
And I'd craft armor that looks like glass armor in Oblivion, only thinner, not so glossy, a dim dark blue instead of a bright green, and a less protrussive helmet.

This.

This is the only way you guys will be able to make fully custom weapons like the topic creator is describing, putting a system like this into the game on it's own would take so much time and effort to develop and really makes no sense when it can already be done with mods. It would take hundreds of hours to make into a good system when there is really no point whatsoever to putting it in.

Like a weapon. Nothing special about it...

I think I'd make a pair of matching weapons. I'm a big fan of the hidden chamber technique, so a pair of short-medium swords, with a slight curve at the end. I'd probably start with a cutlass as a model, but then go with an more ancient design. Throw in some glowing runes, where each one has it's own name and powers. Fire and Ice are kind of obvious, but if you've got glowing red runes on one, and glowing blue runes on the other. I'd dig that.

Sword-chucks.

Wow you can do that on PS3? Awesome, you must be the only person in the world though, care to share how?

When forging weapons, there should be at least those "pre set" models of different shapes that we then could tweak a little and choose what material we are going to use for them.

Fittingly, the only person who could weild those without cutting their hands off is Chuck Norris.

Master Sword

We're not asking for full custom, we're asking for at least something like this:

Weapon type: selection (longswords, broadsword, mace...; this is what decides what model will be used)
Material: a box to drop raw materials into from your inventory. They either have to be of the same type or of compatible ones if mixing is implemented.
Weight: affected by how much material you throw in above. you can either get "Lightweight" for fast attacks and less stamina drain but less damage, "Medium" for balance or "Heavy" for more damage but slower attacks and more fatigue drain.
Polish: optional parameter to determine how much the weapon is shiny or not

The weapon's name depends on the material used and type selected (f.e. Ebony Broadsword). The rest depends completely upon your character's smithing skill and perks: damage, block stats, enchantment capacity and longevity. The same idea for armor.

This may in fact be the way smithing is implemented, or something close.

I would like to also have the option to choose from a bunch of moulds (aka styles) to make it in one of the available styles and perhaps mix hilt and blade styles. Though it would make sense that some styles and materials of ancient weapons (eg. Elven, Dwarven) were not available.

Well, I'm sure I wouldn't make something with dwemer pieces. Too antiergonomic to my tastes.

I'm going to steal someone's broomstick and attach the blade of a dagger.

I'm assuming some less tech savy people here are suggesting that you can make your own weapon via 3d modeling software, which they think will be built in the game..

Chances are smithing will replace a degree of weapon enchanting.

Pffffftt...I would make a lightining magic chainsaw that shoots spears :hubbahubba:

I once designed a gun that shoots guns that shoot knives! :celebration:

I'd be happy if forging would allow us to simply make one of the standard weapons of the used material, with maybe slightly higher damage, and/or speed, and/or durability. (If it was possible to make really cool unique weapons, then I'd be the first to make a mod that adds all those weapons to NPCs, because I like diversity than I can *see*.)

But it would be nice if there are some weapons that can never be bought, only either found in dungeons or forged. It would be even better if you could ask a smith to forge such a weapon for you, if you're not the type of character who does that.
Example: Katanas. They've always been in the series, but they're not the type of weapon a Skyrim smith would make, especially not while a civil war is going on where you need *real* weapons. But if a hero with too much money in his pockets asks you to make one for him, would you say no?

im not just talking about the uniqueness of the gear we craft, that should be a given, we have come a really long way since the valve games. im talking about the implementation of crafting. what i liked in dark messiah was that it wasn't a menu. it was all interactive, and it was highly convincing. is it JUST about the gear and customization? like would you like it to be like WoWs crafting? just a basic implementation of menus and resources? that would be fine if they had some sort of animation and time sequence, but if the action of forging ends up like alchemy ill be disappointed. i doubt very seriously it will be like that though. i expect some sort of interactive crafting, maybe not as in depth as the dark messiah, but with plenty more options.

http://www.gameaxis.com/img/blog/2729/Image/frostmourne.jpg

I don't know what mine would look like, but I think this would be a really cool option. I would have to play around with it, but I've got some really cool ideas for swords. My husband would be even more excited about this option than me, because he has so many ideas about swords and weapons for designs...

I'd like to see something akin to the Weapon Combining system used in Vagrant Story. The amount of game-play gleaned from simply building weapons and tweaking their stats was fantastic. The 'Workshop' dynamic could be adjusted nicely into a Smithies Forge in each major settlement. Forging could be implemented via a menu, using various raw materials and weapon components and accessories. Once you have built your weapon it's off to the local Mages Guild to get the thing Enchanted!

I want a sword that has a sword.

Nah, I'd have like a special dagger with small daedric/dragconic runes running across the blade, maybe a special engraved lining to allow the blood to trickle down the middle and off of the knife. Would be a sweet sacrifice knife.

http://www.freewebs.com/w0lfden/angel%20sword.jpg

im 99.9% sure the customization will not be greatly visual.

Easy answer - Hoe of Destruction

I doubt it will be highly customizable.
but maybe we can change a few features when forging, to slightly customize the look seen in existing armor and weapons.
e.g: gem stone color, inlay metal type,...