The Effects of Forewarning Video Game Players About the Difficulty Level : A Quantitative Study on the Feeling of Workload

Sammanfattning: This study examines the impact of forewarning video game players about the difficulty level. The intention behind this is to ascertain whether or not there are effects from doing so and to explore what kind of implications they might have. The data collection was achieved by allowing participants to play three consecutive levels in a video game. The difficulty of the task was measured using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and the completion time of the levels. The data analysis showed that there is an effect on the players’ feeling of workload when forewarned about the difficulty level in a video game. We highlight implications that our data can have when designing games, things designers might have to keep in mind, and we compare our findings with what other studies have found relating to research into difficulty.