Editing Grim Fandango (section)

===3D design===
''Grim Fandango'' mixed static [[pre-rendering|pre-rendered]] background images with 3D characters and objects. Part of this decision was based on how the ''[[calaca]]'' figures would appear in three dimensions.<ref name="pcgamer preview">{{cite news |title=The Everlasting Adventure |work=[[PC Gamer]] |date=May 1998 |author=Buxton, Chris |pages=48–52}}</ref> There were more than 90 sets and 50 characters in the game to be created and rendered; Manny's character alone comprised 250 [[polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]].<ref name="pcgamer preview"/> The development team found that by utilizing three-dimensional models to pre-render the backgrounds, they could alter the camera shot to achieve more effective or dramatic angles for certain scenes simply by re-rendering the background, instead of having to have an artist redraw the background for a traditional 2D adventure game.<ref name="pcgamer preview"/> The team adapted the engine to allow Manny's head to move separately from his body to make the player aware of important objects nearby.<ref name="pcgamer preview"/> The 3D engine also aided in the choreography between the spoken dialog and body and arm movements of the characters.<ref name="pcgamer preview"/><ref name=NGen36/> Additionally, [[full motion video]] [[cutscene]]s were incorporated to advance the plot, using the same in-game style for the characters and backgrounds to make them nearly indistinguishable from the actual game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gamasutra.com/features/20000103/fmv_01.htm |title=Video in Games: The State of the Industry |date=January 3, 2000 |access-date=March 13, 2008 |author1=Waggoner, Ben |author2=York, Halstead |website=[[Gamasutra]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080326172610/http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20000103/fmv_01.htm |archive-date=March 26, 2008}}</ref>