The "gold stuff" at night in the background is just the draw distance kicking in. To get rid of it turn up the draw distance settings in your graphics options while in game.
ATI users, make sure your video bios is up to date and the driver is new. If it isn't:
Download direct x 9.0C here
http://www.microsoft.com/directx/
In Add Remove Programs in your control panel, remove the ATI driver.
If you can find a driver cleaner online, use it as well to remove all traces of the old ATI driver.
Install new driver and reboot.
Run Ryzom configuration utility
Choose Display and click on Direct 3D
Choose a resolution, colour depth and REFRESH RATE that your monitor can handle. IF you don't know what refresh rate it should be set at just check your advanced display properties under monitor.
To help get rid of some of that golden night sky, click on display details and move the slider for landscape all the way to the right. If you have a slow system turn of EAX under your sound options, Apply, hit ok and start up the game.
If it runs slow, then turn your graphics card settings to performance in your advanced display options. Turn off things like antialiasing and trilinear filtering.
In the game you can tune everything else in your graphics options, your draw distance and cloud quality being key to those golden skies.
