Way back yonder, a long time ago when I was in school, I got bitten by the ragtime bug. Learned to play it passibly well, I guess. Anyway, I enjoyed playing it. I'd be playing it still, if I had a piano. Like you, Mrrzy, I really like ragtime too. Also like Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, and Fats. Oh, and Butch Thompson, too.

Is ragtime difficult? Yes, and no. Looking at the page can be somewhat daunting. But if you take it apart and play it one hand at a time, then all of a sudden you get an understanding of how the piece is put together. After all, those old piano rags are just about as formulaic as a piano sonata from the Classical composers. I'd say ragtime is more challenging that diffidult It will sure sharpen up your sight reading skills. But once you have that first piece mastered, the next ones will fall into place a little more easily. In other words, if you can play Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag you can play James Scott's Grace and Beauty Rag.
Jim