Can you view your character in any sort of menu or is it all in real time? Can you zoom in and out well to see what you are wearing and how you look after character creation?

There is a 3rd person view for that, no menu. Lived in a cave lately?

The Inventory Screen may show your character. However, in the past games, holding down a key on the keyboard (I think it was the same key that toggled 3rd Person) lets you fly the camera around with your mouse and the scroll wheel would let you zoom in and out.

Now, you just have to find that key. I would tell you, but my game won't unlock for 7.5 hours.