Interview with John Epler || Dragon Age: The Veilguard {Marketing Spoilers}

Welcome, welcome! I was honored with being able to go to the Veilguard preview event earlier this month, and I got 20 minutes of John Epler's time to ask him questions on the upcoming game! Epler is currently the Creative Director for Veilguard, but has been with the series for ages now.
Near the tail end of the video, I do ask questions about some details of the game that were released in marketing so far, so please keep that in mind!
--- LINKS
- Playlist of Recap Videos: • Dragon Age Recapped!
- Basics of Thedas video: • Dragon Age 101: The Ba...
- Dragon Age 101: A 'No Spoilers' guide to Thedas!: • Dragon Age 101: A No S...
- Dragon Age 201: A 'Spoilery' guide to Thedas!: • Dragon Age 201: A Spoi...
- Playlist of random Dragon Age lore videos: • Dragon Age Lore {Mixed...
- Playlist of all my longer Dragon Age tie-in reviews: • Dragon Age Media Tie-I...
- Playlist of my longer Dragon Age Book reviews: • The Book Emporium
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[@FlukasMcDoogle]

I have a real question…. Was he a little shocked to see a talking halla head head with a microphone and a tape recorder show up?

[@delicate_ostrich]

LOL

[@lucky8dog]

😂

[@virginiamurr3703]

You have no reason to worry about how you did the interview -- it was great! Thank you for the extra tidbits!

[@alexsnewhandle]

Bellara having a Dhirtamen vallaslin killed my theory that she has a vallaslin from the evil elven gods

[@GhilDirthalen]

honestly, mine too ;o;

[@sveipr]

Not Caitie bringing up the IDW comics to Epler 😂

[@elvhenberry]

"regret" thinks back to callback from tevinter nights hmmmm :")))

[@alexcollins71090]

Right?!?! That was my first thought too. It's a bit silly, but I got chills when he said that. I'm so looking forward to seeing how things play out in DAV!

[@The_ND_Enby]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking about too :|

[@pandabers]

I love that you asked about the Ghilan'nain pronunciation! Hold them accountable xD

[@RememberingStars023]

2 Ghil videos in a day? We’ve been blessed!

[@anderporascu5026]

Ghil at a gaming convention doing what IGN interviewers normally do, that's a giant leap. However she did better, she got to the point. Imagine ghil getting a Dragon Age cameo as a character in the game.

[@morganeveritt]

Caitie, I didn't detect a tinge of nervousness, nor did I hear you flub your words once. This was a great interview with some really interesting questions. Questions that definitely wouldn't have been asked by a typical game journalist. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@YuenQestir]

Ohhh you asked some great questions only a true DA nerd would ask, thank you for the food! Shame it was only so short, would have loved a one hour long special from you

[@e.m.345]

Oh no! I thought Solas pronounced it as Ghilan'- "nahn" in Inquisition.😅 In my head, I'll keep telling myself it is a regional dialect difference. 😂

[@arboozi]

i'm no linguist, but maybe gareth's own welsh accent contributed to it being "nahn"? but it definitely also would make sense for solas to pronounce things a little differently lol who knows how the elven language changed overtime ya know

[@e.m.345]

@@arboozi Very true! I will have to stick with Solas/Gareth on this one; it's been 10 years ingrained in my mind at this point and too difficult to go back now, lol. 💖🥚

[@thestitchwithsami]

Last Court my beloved 😭

[@ceciliathompson7533]

I really appreciate the question about ADHD and Bellara. I was diagnosed in high school and I'm still unmedicated (mainly due to my own fear and internalized stigma) in my early years of college. Hearing John Epler speak about how Bellara is never viewed as a burden and that it's just who she is... I mean, I really needed to hear that. I'm really excited.

[@CharlesVanexX]

Never understood why people make such a big deal about it. I told I had it at a young age, unfortunately was medicated till I was old enough to say I didn't want it anymore. Just learn how to live with it like anything else right?

[@copper1675]

I‘m late diagnosed ADHD and the idea that Bellara would not be viewed as a burden made me tear up. I‘ve convinced myself that I have to try and be perfect in order to matter. This game‘s gonna be cheaper and more effective than therapy.

[@GojiraXR9]

I am also relieved to hear this. My parents never let me look into if I had ADHD or not since they said it doesn’t exist because “mental illness” is just demons and we only need Jesus to fix us.

[@asher6567]

14:20 REGRET?? THE TEVINTER NIGHTS DEMON FROM SKYHOLD??? I joke, but since we’ve been seeing so many returning characters from TN & the comics in Veilguard I would not at all be surprised to see that demon return!!!

[@harryfitzgerald5527]

Thank you for doing this. This is awesome!

[@KaraSinTHH]

So cool you got to interview him!

[@Mizore34]

Okay but what were Veil Jumpers doing during Inquisition? 😂

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

Not existing? Arlathan probably started "waking up" because of the breach or from Solas executing his post-Trespasser plans.

[@probablyprauper9246]

amazing interview! you asked really good questions, thank you

[@ChanceDraws]

Epler on the comics had me rolling! Guess I'm already on the ride😅 Great job on the interview, and it sounds like the devs a ton of fun to hang out with! These are honestly the most reassuring parts coming back to the games. These are clearly folks that care about what they make and want it to move forward in the future.

[@elliebeep27]

Thanks so much for all your coverage Caitie!

[@saffronswatches]

"regret" 😭

[@TheKhaosTheori]

Excellent questions. Thank you!

[@misterlemons111]

Caitie Ghil Dirthalen out here making the real questions thank u so much

[@curiosity6580]

Another question for algorithm gods! But also absolutely loved it, you nailed it. Cheers, Lex

[@thehucklebillyfenn]

I’ve been wondering for a good second if the shadow dragons have anything to do with the Lucerni, the reform faction created by Dorian in the epilogue of trespasser. They have adjacent goals, but I haven’t really seen anything brought up about them in veilguard despite the proximity. I almost wonder why they didn’t just make the faction the Lucerni in the first place to tie in an already existing faction. Maybe we will hear more with the revealed return on Maevaris.

[@mrsgauche4082]

Thank you so much for that Lighthouse question!! 🙏❤❤ I was trying to figure that one out! 😂 Very intrigued by that answer though.. 👀 Awesome interview!

[@ERHershman1]

You did a great job with this interview. Thanks for asking about lore-nerd stuff like the factions and the vallaslin.

[@miras9329]

BELLARA NEURODIVERGENT CANON AMEN THANK YOU FOR THIS 🙏🙏🙏

[@thatfoxyone1533]

“Regret” was criminal. How am I supposed to survive that

[@INTJadeSpider]

I think that you did a wonderful job with this interview. Thank you for asking these questions, especially about Ghilan'nain.

[@DGenHero]

This was really cool. Thanks Catie!

[@CharletteAndMo]

Thank you for asking about the Bellara romance I'm going to hold onto that tidbit for the next 40 days 😭

[@Naoh_ra]

That interview was great! You are a natural. You asked interesting unique questions (as expected from our dearest spirit of knowledge 😉), you had great chemistry with your interviewee and your tone was genuinely excited (not nervous). What more can you ask? Well done!

[@davidsparling4395]

Great interview!

[@Hollow_Phoenix]

The chosen 'cryptic' word for the game being "regret" *already* has me "screaming", because 1) Trespasser, finding out Solas (with help) *made* the Veil "because every alternative was worse", and 2) the short story post-Inquisition about the Regret demon coming from Solas' unfinished fresco. Oh and of course, us screwing up his ritual that would have 'dealt with' the Evanuris :P We're definitely gonna regret that, oof.

[@sarawitt1998]

I KNEW IT WAS DIRTHAMEN

[@EldenJim2210]

Very well done.

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

You know you're making worthwhile art and entertainment when it upsets the social conservatives.

[@pematsering4517]

To upset others is art? What a world we live in

[@helloagain2982]

Thank you for your service

[@TheNatsuhikari]

You did so well! ❤

[@ASlothfulK]

This is cool! Great for you!

[@leniwcxyz3261]

Do you think it's possible for mages to use magic bows instead of staves? Bellara is a mage and I guess she uses a bow...?

[@RanadielMarius]

Bellara's vallaslin is Dirthamen? Huh. That is interesting. I can kind of see it, but it is absolutely focusing on different aspects than the DAO and DAI(/DAV) versions. DAO focused on a pillar with...streamers attached to it. DAI focuses on the pillar (moving it down the nose) with less streamers and a pronounced top to the pillar. Bellara's seems like it has dropped the tower almost entirely and is focusing on the top of the pillar (turned on its side?) with two "streamers" on either side of it. I would not have been able to guess that one.

[@CC-of5xl]

The game looks good and I'll probably enjoy it more than Inquisition but I'm really worried about the lack of a moral grey area. Like treasure hunters who don't take historical items from the two races with the oldest lost ancient societies that doesn't even make sense. I wonder if you'll even have a choice to be anti mage or be pro Imperium. Will they just force you to be pro mage but not let you be pro mage superiority?

[@gaigelarry]

Someone PLEASE ask the team about PUNS!! I need to know how intense the dad jokes are! =D Go BIG!! If my Male Rook romances Davrin, Do i GET TO Call him my " GAY Warden?!" Come on... it'd bring me such joy x'D

[@MrPawsPause]

I wonder if anyone asked what’s up with that Qun forehead. They looked great in 2 what happened lol

[@copper1675]

I didn’t know Bellara is influenced by Epler‘s ADHD Diagnosis now I know why she triggers me so much 😭 I thought I just don’t like her cause she’s an airhead but really she represents everything I’m ashamed of as a woman with late diagnosed adhd.

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

seek therapy

[@Mythos131]

What, I don't want lots of regret in the game! He's mistaken and has to take that back.

[@edzyoutubehub]

Do you have a transcript of this?

[@catika505]

Someone on reddit is saying that the game only imports 4 past choices, and only ones from Inquisition. If that is the case its incredibly disappointing to me. I am aware that you can't speak on this but that just indicates to me that they know its a decision thats going to upset people and I really have to question why they would go this way.

[@chaoticevil4038]

why Solas speaks ill of blood magic when in DAI he approves of it as a usefull tool and that he would learn it if he could? why you making characters OOC?

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

Lol um no, Solas is totally against using blood magic himself as it disrupts the connection to the Fade. Why do you think you know more about Solas than his own writer?

[@chaoticevil4038]

@@BonusEggs4Sale you are honestly embarrassing yourself right now with your lies

[@chaoticevil4038]

@@BonusEggs4Sale Jesus just literally go and search for Solas about blood magic or replay the game

[@anastasiav5593]

are you insane???? that's like on of thr first things solas can tell to inquisitor. he think of blood magic and any other magic and does not mind it at all and would learn it but didn't because it makes entering fade harder. but he is totally cool with it wtf it looks like YOU don't know shit about his writer or the character ​@@BonusEggs4Sale

[@fliplife67]

Did anyone ask him what was replaced for all the downgrades in the game.

[@gwencarmichael]

Those factions sound so bland. I hope there's more to them.

[@bad3032]

This the guy who ruined our favorite chilhood franchise and put top surgery scars in the character creator??

[@salsa1521]

Ruined? lol

[@bad3032]

@salsa1521 you wouldn't know. All you new fans never played origins when it released. Fake fans that only care about romance options and hair physics. Go find another game to ruin and stop ruining ours.

[@enmaranadomusnavacrunatus3788]

Your favourite childhood franchise had a bisexual threesome in the first game mate you sound lost

[@kinghoenn3478]

I am still in shock at how much a joke they turned the demons and darkspawn into.

[@alexsnewhandle]

childhood franchise? DAO was Rated M if you played it as a child your parents failed you

[@LeagueofThieves]

Its dead on arrival... Lost all of my hype.

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

bye tourist

[@BelieveIt1051]

Yeah... I think the word will be REGRET as well.

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

like in "I REGRET freaking out over nothing before the game was released"

[@BelieveIt1051]

@@BonusEggs4Sale As in, "I regret having Veilguard follow Concord to an early grave".

[@Venetheus]

God Epler is such a creep

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

God @Venetheus is such a delusional weirdo

[@Zachthe504]

Most of all, is it woke ✅

[@koshetz]

Bring back none woke DA when we got lesbian dlc in 2009

[@MerrillDragonAge]

If its not woke I'll ask for a refund

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

I already said I'd buy it, stop trying to sell it to me!

[@FlukasMcDoogle]

Easy, he’s Mr. BioWare. 3 second vid. Problem solved, c-ya next time my fellow Welcome Welcome Dear Patronages! 🧐

[@Sasquatch_sightings]

@11:42 - I’m electing that we the fandom take this as permission to disavow the IDW Comics as canon. Bury it with any respect you may have once held for Orson Scott Card.