As a small exapansion to Epsilon's point, the characters will most likely also know the rules, or think they do, and if something is not the way they would expect, they will react to that, not accept it without note. With the cryogenic chambers, for example, I'd expect someone to complain - if only to themselves, and only for an instant before moving on to deal with the problem - that if only one were still functional they could jsut put the injured person in and not ahve to worry.
Somewhat disconnected from that, and less articulate than I'd prefer - When wizards and witches have been doing everything with their wands and suddenly Dumbledore just waves his hand and the tea set floats over, it's a rare and powerful magical effect that impresses the other characters, because it means he's powerful enough to bend the rules, or at least bring a special case into effect - the exception that proves the rule, so to speak, and as we see the students struggle in HBP to cast with their wands but without speaking, it only reinforces how well he must have known the rules and how much effort was put into breaking them to do it.
For the section on managing crossovers and fusions, I'm thinking of a BtVS/Stargate general example - one or more characters from one team is drawn to the others' stomping grounds and takes part in the latest adventure, fine and good - but what;s keeping the rest of the other group away? Both the Scoobies and SG1 are "hero" characters, they don't (as a general rule) just let one of their freinds hang in a dnagerous situation (especially with the wider consequences for the world at large often found in SG1 and BtVS) so there has to be some reason why they aren't there, whether it's a second hot spot that they're tied up with or a lack of communication or just being unable to get there - but the importnat point is that they have a reason, and that reason is in keeping with their established characters. Not "Daniel had a few days of vacation so no one worried when he vanished for a while," not "Giles said he was meeting some science guy he knew form the Brtish Museum's archeology department, so no one bothered him when a new bunch of wierdness showed up," more like "Stepping out into the parched afternoon air, Giles and Daniel were relieved to see the signal indicators on their cell phones come on - it appeared that they had finally made it back to the present day, or at least close enough to have modern communications."
I suppose what I'm saying with all of these is that mainting internal continuity is paramount, even if the canon of the original setting has been folded spindled and mutilated. It doesn't matter if Ranma 1/2 took place in 1972 so he and one or more of the girls can be parents for your 2006 characters, only that you don't have Ryoga show up at 18 to continue his rivalry with the next generation of Saotome - not unless you provide a reson why he's gone over thirty years without aging.
Somethign about how to gracefully show character growth and change might also be good, rather than "With a gasp, it all became clear to him - he'd fought and insulted her, hexed her and jeered at her, but all along, all he'd really wanted was her attention. Well, no more! 'Hermione,' Draco murmurred, his silver-blue eyes sparkling with intensity, 'Let's not fight any more. I know I've been an arse, but... would you go with me to Hogsmeade next Saturday?'"
- CDSERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
A kung-fu nun in a leather thong was no less extreme than anything else he had seen that day. - Rev. Dark's IST: Holy Sea World
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
Somewhat disconnected from that, and less articulate than I'd prefer - When wizards and witches have been doing everything with their wands and suddenly Dumbledore just waves his hand and the tea set floats over, it's a rare and powerful magical effect that impresses the other characters, because it means he's powerful enough to bend the rules, or at least bring a special case into effect - the exception that proves the rule, so to speak, and as we see the students struggle in HBP to cast with their wands but without speaking, it only reinforces how well he must have known the rules and how much effort was put into breaking them to do it.
For the section on managing crossovers and fusions, I'm thinking of a BtVS/Stargate general example - one or more characters from one team is drawn to the others' stomping grounds and takes part in the latest adventure, fine and good - but what;s keeping the rest of the other group away? Both the Scoobies and SG1 are "hero" characters, they don't (as a general rule) just let one of their freinds hang in a dnagerous situation (especially with the wider consequences for the world at large often found in SG1 and BtVS) so there has to be some reason why they aren't there, whether it's a second hot spot that they're tied up with or a lack of communication or just being unable to get there - but the importnat point is that they have a reason, and that reason is in keeping with their established characters. Not "Daniel had a few days of vacation so no one worried when he vanished for a while," not "Giles said he was meeting some science guy he knew form the Brtish Museum's archeology department, so no one bothered him when a new bunch of wierdness showed up," more like "Stepping out into the parched afternoon air, Giles and Daniel were relieved to see the signal indicators on their cell phones come on - it appeared that they had finally made it back to the present day, or at least close enough to have modern communications."
I suppose what I'm saying with all of these is that mainting internal continuity is paramount, even if the canon of the original setting has been folded spindled and mutilated. It doesn't matter if Ranma 1/2 took place in 1972 so he and one or more of the girls can be parents for your 2006 characters, only that you don't have Ryoga show up at 18 to continue his rivalry with the next generation of Saotome - not unless you provide a reson why he's gone over thirty years without aging.
Somethign about how to gracefully show character growth and change might also be good, rather than "With a gasp, it all became clear to him - he'd fought and insulted her, hexed her and jeered at her, but all along, all he'd really wanted was her attention. Well, no more! 'Hermione,' Draco murmurred, his silver-blue eyes sparkling with intensity, 'Let's not fight any more. I know I've been an arse, but... would you go with me to Hogsmeade next Saturday?'"
- CDSERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
A kung-fu nun in a leather thong was no less extreme than anything else he had seen that day. - Rev. Dark's IST: Holy Sea World
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows