I applaud your decision, Frank. I use Corel Draw, just because I got a free version of it many years ago and because it was cheaper to buy updates than to buy Adobe Illustrator outright. Corel Draw and A. I. are very similar programs. They do have a steep learning curve.
I struggled before I figured out how to easily draw parallel lines to represent roads. But the result in A.I./Corel is far better, IMO, both in ease of production and in appearance, than O.O.D. And of course, these high-end programs readily handle any image formats, which is important when you produce a map for a sponsor who has strict guidelines for how their logo appears, for instance.
There are some pretty fine maps in the database that were created using O.O.D. For my money, though, when you compare these to the best made with A.I. or Corel, the difference is obvious.
Keep watching the many videos. They are a great help. Best wishes.