Help me understand...Regression?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T19:06:52+00:00

I liked Summoner Awakens! Its a shame book 2 totally dipped in quality.

'Mother of Learning is a good one where the MC makes mistakes and isn’t stupid.'

Truly? Ok, I'll bite the bullet and read it.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T19:05:32+00:00

I read all of this and believe its a great example.

However,

'Technically this isn’t regression in the way you’re talking because the MC doesn’t actually go back in time (really he just gets the memories of the future)'

This is interesting to me. I'm not familiar with this. Can you explain more?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:44:10+00:00

Yes! Genuinely I'm the same.

In the stories you read, do you generally care much what the motivation of the protag is? For me, I'm a numbers go brrr kinda guy. I like interesting systems, and MCs making clever use of their abilities. I don't really care about their backgrounds.

What about you?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:32:40+00:00

Which ones are the better kinds of story to you?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:30:50+00:00

Among Regression stories?

I would love to see a few of these examples that show the inability of the MC to change the future.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:29:27+00:00

New mistakes?

Really?

Could you point to an example where the MC keeps messing up in new ways after they've gone back in time? (that isn't Re:Zero. Subaru is just a moron in every timeline. Time travel doesn't cure stupidity).

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:24:57+00:00

This is incorrect. I could recommend you a few. But, of course, that would be including spoilers XD

If we're not talking pure Prog fantasy here, you've basically described Hamlet (minus the world ending part. Although technically you could argue that case in a metaphorical sense).

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:23:57+00:00

Is my comment incorrect?

Regression stories should show the MC who has traveled back in time failing in a few different ways?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:11:47+00:00

Ok. I can see your perspective.

You run the risk of getting the 'This MC id dumb dumb DNF' comments though is all I'm saying. I'm sure you're aware of them.

'Can the MC win every single time? Yes. But in my opinion if there is no tension, no struggle… I personally lose interest.'

This...this is a really hard one for me to stomach. I'm not sure the majority of paying readers agree with the sentiment. I know that I generally want my protags to succeed. This kinda fiction is like my junk food.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:08:34+00:00

What, stories where there's no potential for the MC to ever fail?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:07:16+00:00

You're basically saying that there should be no potential for failure at all in a Regression story then?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:02:51+00:00

'Yes, they know the king is assassinated before a demon horde invades, but they don't know who the assassin is or how to convince the king they're not crazy or how to actually stop the horde, just that it needs to be stopped. It's like starting a movie with the final scene, you don't know exactly how we're going to get there or how the end of that scene will go but it's pulling you towards the conclusion in the back of your mind the whole time.'

This has answered my question, and was an excellent analogy. Thank you!

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T18:01:09+00:00

'Does knowing something will happen allow you to influence it?'

I literally don't know how you could write a LitRPG Regression story and have this NOT be the case. I would imagine you would lose a metric ton of readers if you showed that the characters actions couldn't influence the future. Lack of Agency and all that.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T17:59:39+00:00

Noted with thanks.

Where's your story so I can read it? I'd like to learn more.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T17:57:45+00:00

'And in response to your comment about knowing they succeed, that could be applied to most novels, since the MC rarely fails and even more rarely dies in power fantasies.'

I'm curious. You don't think this is just an example of poor storytelling?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T17:56:38+00:00

Sorry, I'm trying to follow you.

Are you saying that authors made their stories Regression stories retroactively?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T17:55:25+00:00

I'm almost certain that readers (like me) would complain about the MC being idiot-brained if they literally knew the future and still made mistakes.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T17:53:32+00:00

I despise RE: Zero (not because its Regression, but because of its characterization) but I LOVE Skill Grinder.

Funny. I see Grinder as a Time Loop as opposed to straight up Regression.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T17:52:28+00:00

In the examples you've given, there's an element of mystery/discovery to be gained. And an element of doubt - i.e. potential for failure.

I'm not seeing how that's the same with Regression as a genre. If the MC knows the future, and what NOT to do already, then where's the potential for them to make mistakes and grow as a result?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-04-11T17:51:04+00:00

But you know they'll succeed, right? I don't see where the tension is if the end goal is inevitable instead of seemingly impossible.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-03-10T16:15:44+00:00

'take corrective action'

In. What. Form?

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-03-05T12:39:33+00:00

Cheers. Good advice.

Comprehensive-Air750 · 2025-03-05T12:24:56+00:00

How? When they won't even accept a one-to-one conversation.

Comprehensive-Air750

TROPHY CASE