This problem happens on many integrated sound cards, mine included.

Yeah, I thought it was probably release-specific.

This release also introduced ugly and slow grass, some 3D glitches, and the bland, eye-bleedingly dark light2 system that STILL can't get shadows right.

So as far as graphics go, this release got it all wrong.

Something important to note is that I have changed my video card since I last played PS from on-board (yuck) to an NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS.

Am I allowed to ask an admin what my current password is? (if you read my other thread you'd know that the problem with me is that I forgot my password and can't receive the new password e-mail, not trying to make a new account)

I can give you my e-mail.

I have the same exact problem on my computer -- the sound is grainy and of terrible quality. It possibly has something to do with the way your sound card (mine is on-board too) interfaces with the Crystal Entity Layer.

You can get the sound normal, I've found, by repeatedly minimizing and maximizing the PS window until apparently randomly the sound quality is normal sometimes, but it's annoying.

As for the GUI, I've never experienced that kind of problem. You have on-board video, which is always substandard for modern 3D gaming. The difference between on-board video and the cheapest graphics card you can buy in the store is usually as great as night and day.

Your specs are really too low to get a good framerate. A processor like p4 1.6 ghz is quite outdated now, although just fine for PS. 512 MB RAM is enough for Planeshift, although 1 GB is highly preferable, especially if you're running Windows XP. It's probably the graphics card. The geforce 5600 is several years old and even the cheapest card on the market would now handily outperform it. Contrary to popular belief, the amount of VRAM (unless it's entirely too little) is one of the least important factors in a video card's performance, compared to clock speed, bus size, and what kind of port it uses (APG or PCI-e).

I sent my application to the 2d art department several days ago and still no one has reviewed it.

Maybe after they will get rid of those trees dissapearing right before our confused eyes ))

Maybe, but in my opinion the biggest issue with trees right now is the fact that half of them are growing out of solid concrete.

And i vote for larger trees... and will not cry if we loose 3d grass indeed (ahh is it 3d indeed? I should look on it more closely, for i was thinking it's sprites)

I'm pretty sure the 3d grass is a bunch of individual single textured polygons.