oh.. I simulated Low World Detail and Lowest Texture Detail without such issues.
Do you have a screen shot?
My guess is that the gold texture shader is not supported on your system, in the way I use it, and since it doesn't come with a fallback material, it might just render nothing at all. I'll at least add a fallback material for it, so it should render. Thanks!
@rams: The issue you mentioned with the JumpPad--it's a common bug in UT2k4. For instance, if you're thrown up in the air from a jump pad and touch the wall, you might stop and fall straight down again. I can only try to avoid the problem as best I can by adjusting the arc in which a player is sent flying, but as long as you hit the wall at some point, it will make the ascent abrubt. It's the same in CampGrounds, for instance--but the jump is not as long, so less likely to bump into the wall.