Still doesn't solve the issue with the fact you can modify the beginning of your says (at least in lusternia). They don't all start "So and so says" but sometimes have prefatory phrases which could be -anything-.
From the help file:
TALKING WITHOUT SAY
-------------------
There are other ways to talk, like say, but different too. Each one does
something a little different. Try them and see! They are:
Scream, whine, mutter, snarl, sing, chant, ask, exclaim, whisper, chitter,
purr, hiss, plead, roar, lisp, stammer, stutter, intone, ululate, chime,
lecture, recite, grunt, utter, remark, intimate, enunciate, shriek, yawn,
gasp, groan, sigh, cackle, rave, moan, squeal, murmur, brag, splutter,
wail, mumble, rasp, grump, orate, proclaim, state, opine, and assert.
SAYING AND LANGUAGE
-------------------
What you say is always spoken in one language or another. Most things you say
will probably be in the language LUSTERNIAN, but there are many other
possibilities. See HELP LANGUAGE and HELP ELDER LANGUAGE for some more ideas.
ASK AND EXCLAIM
---------------
ASK and EXCLAIM are variations on SAY which you get by using special
punctuation. To EXCLAIM, use two exclamation marks (!!). To ASK, use two
question marks (??).
SAY Don't you see, Lusternia is the greatest??
SAY Lusternia IS the greatest, and I am the greatest Lusternian!!
TALKING TO SOMEONE IN PARTICULAR
--------------------------------
You can SAY something to someone (player or mobile) this way:
SAY TO ROARK How could Lusternia exist without you?
SCREAM AT ROARK How could Lusternia exist without you?
This works for most of the forms (SCREAM, MUTTER, etc).
PREFATORY PHRASES
-----------------
Emoting can be tagged onto the say command using the following syntax:
Say (speaking in a harsh tone) You will bray for this, Fain.
Everyone sees:
Speaking in a harsh tone, Sior says, "You will bray for this, Fain."
And to make it 'worse', it will read emoticons in your says and change them... ending a say with
changes it to "SoAndSo smiles and says..." etc.
Trying to do that with a regex trigger just isn't going to happen. The gmcp comm capture does fine with the says themselves, but still leaves the emotes hanging (No event is fired in Comm that I can find for emotes). I've yet to find a way to completely do without a color trigger if you're trying to get all says -and- emotes.
I'm not sure if the 'say' stuff is as flexible in other IRE muds though.