#Gamma
Regarding the gray boxes, what you have there is simply a single-pixel
checkerboard inside a medium-gray border (or is it the other way around?).
Anyway, the checkerboard consists of alternating black and white pixels that
appear to be medium gray at any distance. As you adjust the display gamma, 3ds
alters the luminance of the solid gray. If there was no such thing as a gamma
curve, and all displays were completely linear (don't we wish), a solid gray
value of 127,127,127 would appear the same as the black and white checkers.
Theoretically, when you adjust the solid gray to match the _apparent_ gray of
the checkers, your display gamma should be balanced. In reality, we've found
that certain monitor displays don't always work like that. NTSC monitors, for
example, often throw things off. It may be that your monitor is bleeding the
pixels slightly (ouch) so the black/white checkers appear a different value of
gray, etc., etc.
If, as you say, you like "twidgeting," you could try rendering a checkerboard
that's 2×2 pixels and check it out from across the room while squinting your
eyes. Since gamma is a voodoo art, you might want to first sprinkle some
chicken blood on the keyboard.
– Jack