It's like this.
At the beginning I found Skyrim's mountains to be very edgy, as I'm used to the mountains in my area... which are not edgy, and rather wide.
But I've been Googling, you see, and I found http://img1.photographersdirect.com/img/21635/wm/pd1274122.jpg

One thing though, I found the mountains we've seen so far to be monotonous. Though, for Bethesda's sake... I haven't seen a single game dealing THAT well with mountains. As they all (or most of them) work with heightmap. The variety is what bothers me in most games, and I know that it will be the case in Skyrim, which is normal.

But you know what would be great? Having these kinds of mountains for the first time in open-world video games: :wub:

• http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JZ-1nBevGjU/Tbkvmp793KI/AAAAAAAAAGA/LQTIfG-vM_o/s1600/3665442326_b41ed262d3_o.jpg
  
• http://v4.cache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11278196.jpg?redirect_counter=2
  
• http://www.exodus.co.uk/assets/images/trips/fullsize/13658.jpg
  
• http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8LrIaaYi1LA/Tb5dcSLGaGI/AAAAAAAABPo/eKhx44BzsjI/s1600/mount.jpg

Now, note that I know that it's difficult to create such mountains due to heightmap (as I tried creating such mountains myself in Oblivion...).
However, Skyrim is a rugged mountainous place (in the words of Todd himself!). So I've been thinking, maybe extend the variety in mountains? Or include support in programs that can create landscapes with such mountains in the Creation Kit(?).

* This is not a complaint. Just a suggestion of something I think would be nice to have for the first time. A variety in mountains. :poke:

Those mountains are gorgeous. I don't want to get my hopes up of having that majesty in the game, but it'd be great.

Unfortunately, I don't think the gameworld is large enough to allow for much mountain diversity.

http://v4.cache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11278196.jpg?redirect_counter=2 Where is this photo? And does anyone know what type of formation that is?

I'm not worried about the mountains, but more diversity never can hurt.

I'd like to know where the mountain from picture 4 is, it looks very impressing.

Mountain diversity doesn't make much sense over such a small area...

The mountains look similar because they're all located in a very similar area.

You're thinking in a very very outdated world, my friend, if you're thinking of Oblivion.
Have you tried making a mountain in Crysis game editor? Or Far Cry 2's editor?
Mountains can be made superb today, and in any way you want them to be.

Anyway, I do agree though. A variety of mountains would be nice.
Some canyons, some extremely steep, some more flat, etc etc. Variety is always nice for environments, as long as it feels as a natural variety. This goes not just for mountains, but for trees, rocks, bushes, how the landscape is formed, etc.

Though I think we should save our words for this subject until we actually see Skyrim's most mountainous area - The Reach.

I'm myself hoping that mountains and such in The Reach won't just be lots of big rock meshes piled together. That would svck utterly.

If I were to guess, I'd say China. Maybe the Yellow Mountains. As to the formation, I'm not sure... Maybe they are just called peaks.

It's from China, in Yongshun. At least the website says so.

I know the gameworld isn't big enough... But I'm sure, if done properly, they can make some kind of a mini version of these? Maybe?

I can see it already... Unique Landscapes for Skyrim!

That fourth picture is stunning.

Mountains in Skyrim look great so far.

And in any case, I'm positive there won't be much variety in mountains... unfortunately, lots of people mentioned it here before. The world is too small and the heightmap system Bethesda uses (hopefully is changed. At least it looks different) doesn't allow you to create such mountainous areas (which I'm planning for my mod in Skyrim... so...)

Anyway, I haven't tried the Crysis world editor or Half Life's 2... but I saw the mountains in Crysis, they have SOME variety, but still, I don't think the world editor can handle creating such mountains...

What kind of mountains are you talking about?
Those mountains in the 4 pictures?

Mountains can be done in three ways as far as I know.
Either through a heightmap with rocky textures put on it, or through lots of small rock meshes piled together (the worst way), or through BIG specific rock meshes. Meshes can be made any way you like them. Heightmap can be made almost any way you like them as well.

It depends on how advanced the creation kit actually is. The crysis game editor is mega super advanced in how you can scale things extremely well, like mountains,landscapes and even the "power" of waterfalls.

I'm referring to mountains similar to the ones you see in the 4 pictures, yeah...

There are heightmap editors that can increase the usage of the surface by letting you create holes and caves, and extend the higher surfaces horizontally. I've never been a fan of adding mountains as big meshes, that's why I'm wondering if the Creation Kit is advanced enough to create advanced heightmapping.

Well, hopefully it is advanced enough. You should kind of expect it, shouldn't you? I mean, seeing how Skyrim is a very mountainous area, you can expect things like mountains to be good.
Just like you can expect a game that takes place underwater to have great undewater environments and visuals.

Only thing I worry about mountains in Skyrim is how darn low-poly some of them are...

That's a 360 manner... You know... :brokencomputer:

I doubt we'll see this much variety but those pictures were stunning. I hope that there will be some level of mountain diversity in Skyrim, considering Skyrim is the most mountainous province

That it is.

Nice pics.

I can't say I believe the last one is real though. How can water be falling off that mountain? Where is it coming from? That's a lot of waterfalls with water coming from nowhere. I don't see a giant lake on top of it for the water to come from, and even if there was, how would the water get into the lake and be replenished fast enough to support all those waterfalls?

Someone ealier posted a lot of Swiss and Norway mountain pics and they looked very much like what they are doing in Skyrim. Looking forward to seeing it myself.

2 and 3 look like mountains that will possibly have a part in the game, an area called The Reach, which is sort of like a canyon which sort of has rivers flowing throw it and mountains edges like 3 and other various mountain pillars coming from them like on picture 2 most likely...

http://riftwall.com/images/skyrim_text.jpg

look on the left "The Ridge"

It is in fact real and a BEAUTIFUL PLACE!
http://www.summitpost.org/monte-roraima/151790

Here, something to rich your mind.

Nice. Still like to know where the water comes from though.

There are constant rains above this mountain. And because the top of the mountain is mostly flat, rains create huge lakes and underground tunnels that flow into the outside, thus, creating some of the biggest waterfalls ever seen in the world.
http://www.amazingdata.com/Image/amazing_fun_ecology_2316305020104181437S600x600Q85_200907231431081470.jpg

You can check http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAsBLdqfzxg for the youtube video of the discovery channel coverage on this mountain, called Mount Roraima.

I prefer the mountains I have seen of Skyrim so far...

Seriously.......?

You mean you want Fault-Block mountains? That would be cool!