The Gimp will make better maps than maptool, and it is also free, however it is more complicated. If you love making maps then I recommend you download Gimp and slowly get used to it - a very good way (how I did it) is to work through the great gimp tutorials - notably this one: http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...gional-RPG-Map and JFrazier's layer mask tutorial http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...n-GIMP(and-PS). The first tutorial is very complicated and long but will teach you loads of great techniques. The second tutorial is absolutely critical - make sure to read on to pages 2 and 3 and follow JFrazier's instructions on making a Creek map - that will totally change the way you make maps forever. After those two, you'll have become a map-making genius.