Optimizing Tutorial Design for Video Card Games Based on Cognitive Load Theory: Measuring Game Complexity

In this study, we delineated the theoretical underpinnings of game tutorial design within the contemporary domain of game design, emphasizing the genesis and evolution of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). Upon this theoretical framework, we investigated the incorporation of CLT into the explicit design of game tutorials, introducing an innovative approach for the quantification of knowledge and task complexity in card games. This approach is designed to evaluate the cognitive load (CL) potentially imposed on players by game levels. A custom game was developed for this purpose, wherein several participants were engaged in experimental sessions followed by a comprehensive analysis of the data gathered. The outcomes were promising, indicating that tutorials crafted in alignment with CLT principles not only significantly mitigated the cognitive load experienced by players but also augmented their learning efficiency. Such results underscore the tangible applicability of CLT in game design, especially concerning tutorial development. Through the quantification of game complexity to modulate the cognitive load, our study not only promoted player learning and engagement but also pre-empted the risk of exceeding their cognitive limits.