Dear Riley (creator of this game) and my other fellow storytellers,
I hope you're all safe and healthy during our 1st pandemic. I am writing today to share my experience playing this game. I write in hopes that you will find what I share helpful in some way.
We had bought "say what you mean" as a way to explore 2 player 1 page games. But the essential factor to getting me to play it is my big love for snail mail. Truth be told, I've been an avid letter writer since I was a child. Therefore, it just made a lot of heart sense to give this game a go.
My partner and I played it live in our kitchen across from each other 3 weeks ago early on during COVID-19 stay at home order. We played wizards (exes) who parted ways long ago but have now slowly reconnected via letters. Through letter writing, we explored the idea that we as exes and powerful wizards have different opinions about the role of magic. It was a slow go as I think the line in the game that said "corresponding through ostensibly formal letters" got into our heads too much. High-foolooting grandiose language is not something we're that familiar with. So if you're in the same boat, I suggest you gloss over that or do a little research for basic greetings and phrases that you could incorporate.
In fact, I found this and share it now with you.
https://thebogotapost.com/formal-language-and-written-english-letters/22547/
Do write to me if you discover an actual list of grandiose highly formal letter writing greetings and phrases. I'd be ever so appreciative.
Oh, do I digress? Ah yes, back to distilling more feedback...
We essentially enjoyed peeling the layers of our connection and sharing what each of our life is like now that we're separate from the other. Our exchange (role-playing scenes) led to sometimes disregarding what the dice roll dictated.
Riley, I think your game has a lot of great ideas and structure. I am totally open to playing it again. Thanks for sharing it!
And to my other fellow storytellers, this game could totally work online. We were actually saying how it might be fun the next time we play to be in different rooms...connected only through our letters.
May your correspondences ever be fruitful!
J.