I understand this is probably subjective but it seems to me that the nighttime sky in TES V Skyrim along with its dawn and dusk sequence is actually a bit worse looking than in it's predecessor Oblivion when just about everything else is leaps and bounds ahead. When I watch the sun rise or fall in Skyrim there appears to be concentric rings around the horizon as if my Xbox can't handle an evenly shifting shade or gradient. In contrast TES IV had some absolutely amazing dawn and dusk sequences without that ringed effect.
Not only that but the stars seemed much more vibrant in Oblivion and I'm not even talking about the Shivering Isles which the night sky is still breathtaking in its beauty even to this day. Don't get me wrong, TES V's aurora is stunning but when it's not there the sky seems ever so slightly muted.
So why is it that in just about every other audio and visual area Skyrim is miles ahead but still can't outdo Oblivion's night sky? Has it got something to do with the different colour pallets used by each game? Or is it a technical thing, about processing power and the like? Or is it just me talking shit again?
Yeah, I suppose that's basically the same thing. Either way, I really loved Skyrim's day/night cycle and lighting. Sure, the draw distance could always be a bit better or the lighting a bit greater, but it is pretty technically impressive as a 360 game already. In terms of weather it really can't be understated how much all of the mist and fog did to develop the world. Areas like all of the mountains, Hjalmarch, and East... march, just wouldn't be the same without those effects.