Enhanced billboarding in a 3D scene, need advice

[Discostew]

So, here is what I am wanting to do. Basically, the effect that Paper Mario does with characters, in that they are shown as 2D, but in 3D. While the idea seems simple, in that they are made up of multiple sprites (for animation detail), and that each sprite is offset either closer or away from the camera, the problem I am seeing involves the depth buffer. It only goes from 0 to 0x7FFF, and if I make the pieces too close together, bleeding could occur. If I separate them out more, it'll fix the bleeding, but then the perspective might mess up the placement of the sprites based on how far to the left, right, up, or down from the camera's center. It may not really be a problem, but just in case, I was thinking of this idea. If it were possible, prior to rendering one of these multi-sprites is change the projection matrix into one very similar to Orthogonal, but it retains its scale value at that depth, so that it would look like the entire object is rendered on what one could say is a plane within 3D space. Think of it like if one of these multi-sprite objects were rendered to it's own frame buffer in orthogonal mode, and then that framebuffer is rendered like a single sprite within a 3D scene.

Does that make any sense? I hope so. Anyways, that is my idea, but I just don't know if it is possible, nor do I know the way to alter the projection matrix to make that happen.

[elhobbs]

hmm, I did not follow that. maybe a picture would help?