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1* AbsurdlyShortProductionTime: The game was developed and completed in only nine months. The short timeframe shows through in the game's quality such as repeated environments and assets, odd camera angles, and an underdeveloped 3rd act. It also had the shortest dev time in the ''Dragon Age'' series compared to ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Origins]]'' (7 years), ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Inquisition]]'' (4 years), and the ongoing ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeDreadwolf Dreadwolf]]'' ([[DevelopmentHell 7+ years]]).
2* ActingForTwo:
3** Nicholas Boulton voices Male Hawke, Malcolm Hawke in ''Legacy,'' Baron Arlange in ''Mark of the Assassin'', and Xenon the Antiquarian.
4** A minor example, but as noted above, Sebastian is voiced by Creator/AlecNewman - who also voices Seneschal Bran. They can have a small interaction in Act 2 if Sebastian is in the party when Hawke speaks to Bran about the missing Qunari delegation.
5* BeamMeUpScotty: In fanfiction and even on this very wiki, Varric's nickname for Fenris is often said to be "Broody", despite the fact that in the game, he refers to him once as the "broody elf", and otherwise just calls him "Elf."
6* CreatorsFavorite: Many devs have [[https://twitter.com/davidgaider/status/1382001252641370116 mentioned]] [[https://twitter.com/BioMarkDarrah/status/1381788066495389698 enjoying]] [[https://twitter.com/eplerjc/status/1382025908194746370 working]] on this game the most since they were still riding high on the success of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' and (despite this game being rushed) the leadership and creative goals were most in sync, with everyone working together toward a common goal that turned out surprisingly well for [[ChristmasRushed how little time they were given]].
7** The developers often gush on [[LineToGod social media]] that Purple Hawke is their favorite personality, and often half-jokingly consider it the "correct" way to play.
8* DummiedOut: Vigilance, the InfinityPlusOneSword from ''Awakening,'' is in the game files, but is unobtainable. This is funny, since the epilogue of ''Awakening'' states that the sword is continually being stolen and passing from one owner to another; maybe you can't obtain it in this game because someone stole it.
9* ExecutiveMeddling: The game was rushed after the highly awaited and ambitious MMO ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' was unable to make it to its projected release in early-2011 and EA demanded a major title before the end of the first fiscal quarter of 2011.
10* LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition: The Signature Edition, which was only available for pre-order before a certain date.
11* TheOtherDarrin:
12** Isabela, who was voiced by Mika Simmons for her brief appearance in ''Origins'', is voiced by Victoria Kruger here.
13** Merrill, who was previously voiced by Erin Matthews for the Dalish Warden's origin story in ''Origins'', is voiced by Creator/EveMyles here.
14** Anders, previously voiced by Cullen's VA, Greg Ellis, is voiced by Creator/AdamHowden here because unspecified "shenanigans" made it impossible to hire Ellis for such a large role.
15* PreOrderBonus: These were available and various, depending on where the game was pre-ordered. A later DLC allowed players to download all of them.
16* SimilarlyNamedWorks: The DLC ''The Exiled Prince'' shares its name with the second installment of the ''VideoGame/DarkParables'' series of {{hidden object game}}s. They were even released within ten days of each other in 2011.
17* SparedByTheCut: The game was originally supposed to conclude with an ExpansionPack called ''Exalted March'', which was to set up the sequel ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''. It was also meant to end with the death of fan-favourite Varric. When ''Exalted March'' was cancelled during pre-production, the developers were forced to rework most of their plans into ''Inquisition'' itself. This ended up changing the direction they took Varric's character and he ended up surviving.
18* ThrowItIn: The initial decision to have Leandra Hawke have the maiden name Amell was apparently made while having forgotten it's also the name of a human Mage Warden. Bioware apparently only noticed when fans pointed out the connection and decided to roll with it by making them cousins.
19* TroubledProduction:
20** The above-mentioned ExecutiveMeddling that saw Bioware being forced to make a full sequel within 18 months of the ''Origins'' launch, while continuing DLC support for ''Origins'' and ''Mass Effect 2,'' meant that this was inevitable. According to some sources, the game first underwent an incredibly rushed pre-production as Bioware quickly put a team together, after which it spent as little as ''8-9 months'' in development. This is compared to ''Origins'', which spent 18 months in pre-production and had a development cycle of about 5 years.
21** As part of a graphical overhaul due to ''Origins'' receiving a lot of flack for dated visuals, ''2'' was made on a modified version of the Eclipse Engine called Lycium. This required remaking all of the assets for this game, and by the time ''2'' came out, Lycium had become outdated graphically to the team's regret.
22* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
23** ''Dragon Age II'' was originally going to be a GaidenGame called ''Dragon Age: Exodus,'' with the plot for what would later become ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' being planned for ''Dragon Age II''. Among other differences, Hawke was originally intended to be an NPC named [[TheVonTropeFamily Ulrich von Hawke]] who was a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]] with a tendency for LickingTheBlade, thus explaining the blood splatter on the default character appearance.
24** Anders wasn't the only candidate for the "renegade mage" role. David Gaider has said that Velanna was also considered in early development to potentially join Hawke's companions and serve as the new host for Justice.
25** The boss fight against [[spoiler: Orsino]] was originally going to be exclusive to the Templar endgame. At the insistence of the powers that be, it was added to the mage endgame for the sake of another boss fight.
26** Ser-Pounce-A-Lot was going to still be around, walking around in Anders's clinic. However, he was cut since it would require making a new character model, and Anders's dialogue about the Wardens forcing him to give his pet away was added to explain his absence.
27** The ''Exiled Prince'' DLC was originally going to have Nathaniel Howe play a major role. While Nathaniel can still appear in the main game, he was cut from the DLC due to the possibility of his death in ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]]''.
28** Much like how ''Origins'' has ''Awakening'', ''Dragon Age II'' was going to have an expansion pack called ''Exalted March,'' but this was cancelled due to other projects, most notably adapting the Frostbite engine to work with [=RPGs=] in time for ''Inquisition.'' Some of the story elements were kept for ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' instead.
29** There was meant to be a third post-release story DLC, but it was at first lumped with ''Exalted March'', and then canceled altogether along with it. The basic storyline, however, has been worked into ''Inquisition''.
30** Those who lamented the fact that Varric was not a romance option could be either cheered or further disappointed by the statement that an extra scene was proposed for the very end of the game. According to WordOfGod, they considered adding a scene after Cassandra releases Varric, in which he reunites with an unromanced Hawke and reassures her/him that while he did tell the Seeker the whole story, "I didn't tell her anything about ''us''." The scene in question, however, was never actually crafted or voiced.
31** According to David Gaider's now-defunct Tumblr, the Coterie was meant to have its own SidequestSidestory, mostly tied to Varric's character arc, but was cut due to lack of time and funding.
32** The ending of the cancelled ''Exalted March'' would have resulted in the death of Varric. Obviously, with him as a returning party member in the sequel, this has been scrapped completely; considering his BreakoutCharacter status, this is for the best.
33*** ''Exalted March'' would have also given Hawke the option to marry their love interest. This may be a contributing factor to the existence of that option for a couple of the ''Inquisition'' love interests.
34** Check out some concept art [[http://mattrhodesart.blogspot.ca/2013/07/concept-art-behind-scenes.html here]] (the first part is ''Mass Effect'' - scroll down). Most of the cast are recognizable, but Merrill and Fenris "the widowmaker" had some ''drastically'' different looks. Some of the concept art can also be seen in the official strategy guide; interestingly, Bethany originally looked like a human [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Sera]], complete with choppy blonde hair.
35** Hawke's story was originally planned to start earlier in Lothering, but a lack of time and resources to rebuild the village in-game forced them take the InMediasRes route.
36** The devs have said that, in hindsight, they would have changed Hawke's duel with the Arishok to the Act 3 climax instead of Act 2, so the game would end on a more triumphant note and make Hawke's famed accomplishments less of an InformedAttribute. In fact, one of the reasons the devs planned the ''Exalted March'' DLC (and possibly to make Hawke the protagonist of ''Inquisition'') was to make Hawke's in-universe [[WorldsStrongestMan larger-than-life reputation]] seem a little more deserved, but ''II'' under-performing in sales caused them to scrap this.
37** [[WordOfGod David Gaider]] made a whole [[https://twitter.com/davidgaider/status/1382035087462600704 twitter thread]] full of things they would have done or almost did had they not been so strapped for time.
38* WordOfGay: The Viscount's son, Saemus, was given this treatment when the Bioware Forums were still active.
39* YouSoundFamiliar:
40** Creator/GideonEmery voices Fenris and also Samson the ex-Templar.
41** Creator/MirandaRaison voices both Cassandra Pentaghast and Fenris's sister Varania.
42** Creator/AlecNewman voices Seneschal Bran, Sebastian Vael, and the male elf who stands guard at the entrance to the Dalish camp.
43** Nicholas Boulton voices Male Hawke, Malcolm Hawke in ''Legacy'', Baron Arlange in ''Mark of the Assassin'' and Xenon the Antiquarian in ''The Black Emporium''.

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