The Nordic and Yokudan myth cycles are the only two sources I can think of that mention kalpas (off topic: has the term kalpa ever appeared ingame?).

The Yokudans imply previous kalpas were more formless, with spirits being unable to reach Nirn from Aetherius and begin their new lives with solid forms because they didn't know the way, and before that Satakal kept eating them. Furthermore it's treated as a continuum where there is a Big Beginning where Satakal comes to be and starts eating himself over and over. Then Tall Papa teaches the other spirits how to travel the stars to get to Satakal's remains where they can live and avoid Satakal's bodiless hunger. Basically in Yokudan myth kalpas are treated as phases before Tall Papa's walkabout and the banishing of Sep where no one could get anywhere because it would be eaten before they could accomplish anything. Unlike the way kalpas are discussed on the forums, Yokudan kalpas don't seem to be complete universe resets, but it does clearly state that the godhead (Satakal) keeps committing suicide.

Like the Yokudans, the Nords view of kalpas are an integral part of their mythology. Alduin comes down and eats the world so a new one can be born. Unlike Yokudan myth however, Alduin is not representative of Anu-Padomay and only exists as a means to the end of the world. In their minds, the Nords don't think the godhead or universe is actively ending itself, but a third party- Alduin is doing it or another third party- Orkey is tricking Alduin into doing the deed. Also unlike Yokudan myth is the idea of a formed universe and a formed Nirn existing in previous kalpas as seen in Shor Son of Shor, in which not only the land has formed, but et'ada, Man, and Mer exist and do battle.

It is the Nordic view of kalpas that equally intrigues and confuses me.

In truth the very idea of previous kalpas is confusing to me. How many times has the universe reset itself for one reason or another? Actually do kalpas end the same way every time, with mortals and gods alike unable to ever change anything? One giant Groundhog Day universe?

Also I'm pretty sure a number can't be given to the number of kalpas that have existed before the current one; probably infinite. What happened during those kalpas though?

Both Yokudan and Nordic myth paints a nightmare image where nothing can get done, whether you get lost or eaten (Yokudan) or are locked in an infinite battle of attrition (Nordic). But where is the Aldmeri commentary on kalpas? Given that in Nordic myth, they did never-ending war with Elves, it would be logical to think that those Elves had a take on it all.

Or are kalpas viewed differently and thus actually different for each race? Like a shared dream with three people in which all three people are in the same room but have vastly different experiences and sights at the same time.

Did Lorkhan get the Aedra to create Nirn in every kalpa only for everything to end and begin ad infinitum? Did they all last the same amount of time? Did something go "right" this time around? And what of the interesting picture of Nordic gods in more or less human form fighting a constant war with the elves? Is that supposed to represent a single kalpa or a sort of panorama of every single one of them leading up to the current.