title: Drawing an Isometric image split into layers
body: <p>I've seen quite a bit of questions regarding how to draw isometric tiles, and most all point at being drawn back to front, top down. However I'm trying to find a way to prevent clipping with a single isometric image. </p>
  
  <p>While normally drawing a sprite ontop of a single image would not prevent overdrawing on walls and such, I split up the image into 3 layers. A floor, lower wall, and top wall. Where the player checks the floor for collision, is drawn in front of the lower wall always, and drawn behind the top wall always. The result looks like the following </p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Po66ld5.png" alt="Example"></p>
  
  <p>While this seems to work decently well, I'd like to know what the most efficient way to draw these sort of isometric scenes are. I've considered tiles, however that raises the question of how to draw multi-tiled buildings and such. If tiling becomes a better option I will create a new question regarding those questions. For now lets assume I'm using a single image broken into layers.</p>
  
  <p>This is somewhat easier, however, for my artist. To be able to draw a single scene in isometric, and split it up into layers, eliminating the need for a map creator. And then using pixel collision to get precise collision with the enviroment.</p>
  
  <p>Is using a multi-layered scene even a good approach for this? My biggest concern is preventing overdrawing and breaking perspective. I've also seen many good examples of drawing everything using tiles, however then I'm limited to a certain scale, and that arises even more questions. Do you know of the best way to approach this? Should I use tiles instead of a single image split into layers? </p>
  
  <p>I plan to code this in either MonoGame or Processing.</p>
  
  <p>(I would have posted this on gamedev but I can not post images there)</p>