Cinematic gloating and nonviolence

[Gigermann]

If I'm understanding, you really have two separate problems: Interrupting the Monologue, and Getting Tied Up. Most of the answers here address #1, but less #2. Here's a snippet from my website that might be of interest:

Players Hate Being “Tied Up”
By “tied up,” I’m referring to any situation where the PCs are rendered (basically) helpless, for instance, through facing a significantly more powerful enemy, or through some situation or condition (i.e., law-abiding PCs facing a policeman, who is just doing his job, where “the law” is the overpowering force). I’ve been on both sides of this issue, as a Player facing up to one of these situations, and as a GM having to deal with the visible/vocal disappointment and frustration of the affected Players. I have yet to arrive at a definitive solution to this issue, aside from avoiding it altogether. My recommendations, based on my experience of late:

• Give them an avenue to vent their frustrations, within the context of the encounter. Give them just enough opportunity to palm a weapon or tool before they are captured. Give them a window of opportunity to embarrass or otherwise get back at one of the captors (an example of this would be in the movie, Tank Girl, when the main character tricks one of her captors into getting close enough for her to snap his neck. The all-powerful Bad Guy could have a few “disposable” thugs with him, that PCs can take out their frustrations on before their inevitable surrender. In any case, give the Players a chance to do something before they have to give up, and go easy on the consequences (for example, knocking them out/around instead of killing them)—your price for having the Players “play along.”
• Humor is also a great way to lighten up an otherwise demoralizing situation. At the same time, however, you have to quickly and firmly establish the fact that they can’t fight it, or they will inevitably try.
• Simply telling the Players, out of character, that they can’t win will do the job, but it’s much better if you can physically or verbally demonstrate the fact within the context of the encounter.
• I had good success, recently, with setting out a “reward” (in my case, some extra Plot Points for the group) at the beginning of the session, and telling the Players that “they will know what they’re for when the time comes.” When it came time (in the last instance, killing all the PCs—for a good cause ;) ), they all understood what was going on, since I had foreshadowed it, and were far less frustrated than they otherwise would have been.

[starslayer]

I have to agree with Gingerman here; if your issue is that you railroad the party into an encounter and your surprised when they actually fight (not that fighting is the only way out of an encounter; in all fairness I'd be trying to leverage my social skills, fast talk, and deception against the lieutenant with most of my PCs- but that would make me even more fusterated if the gm prevented those from even having a chance); I think you may have more of a GMing issue then a player issue.

Role playing should almost never be a narrative of GM to listeners, but an interactive game between GM and players; as such as the GM you have to be willing to let the players win on occasion, even when it is not the story you would like to tell (you don't have to make it easy, but if you make the evil lieutenant have will 25 without some very convincing reason for such expect dice to be thrown at you; on the other hand a tough as nails will 15 lieutenant may still be swayed by a skill 12 face man if the face man rolls a 6 and the lieutenant a 16).

With that said- there is a way to let the fight commence, but still not have dead PCs; give the enemies stunning weapons. Tazers, glue guns, sonic stunners, poison darts- they are all pretty standard to pulpy settings and they allow the characters to fight (and possibly WIN) but if they fail, they just end up in another elaborate deathtrap machine, with nothing to do but listen to the evil overload gloat, and when they finally escape they can either use the stunners they get off guards, or resort to fistacuffs.

[Extrarius]

Originally Posted by starslayer;1261305[...

if your issue is that you railroad the party[...]

"You fling open the door and find yourself facing two people with powerful firearms" isn't railroading - as the OP said, there are plenty of options that don't involve shooting and getting shot. Social skills, disarming, grappling, quickly stepping back around the corner, giving up your visible weapons and waiting for the time to break free using all your hidden items, etc
There are also many options that come before flinging the door open - various types of peeking in, listening at the door, having half the party walk in and give up only to have the other half quickly rush in and capture the opponents while they're shackling the captured PCs, etc.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

I'm strongly leaning toward everyone having to behave as if they had Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents), but players don't have to write it down because it's a genre convention, not a limitation of their characters in particular.

In that case I'd consider making it a campaign disadvantage. That way the players will feel duly compensated.

[Lord Carnifex]

Another thought would be to allow the PCs certain bonuses and free actions while the villain gloats. They could Evaluate, get into position, exchange Significant Glances (essentially allowing the players to plan their escape). The longer the villain gets to monologue, the more time the players should have,

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by Lord Carnifex

exchange Significant Glances (essentially allowing the players to plan their escape).

Ooh, I like that!

[Witchking]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

Ooh, I like that!

Suggest that they all put a point in Gesture...then...

Villian <Exposits>

Heroes <Nod, Wink, Headshake>

Win Contest of Tactics Subltely either Realign the map for significant Tactical Advantages (see threads on Making Tactics Meaningful and such) or Start PrePreparing the Escape Measures....Bonuses to Escape skill for prep time etc...

[Lord Carnifex]

I use the Significant Glances as an excuse about why the players are allowed to discuss their plans in detail while the characters are being watched in game. So, in my cinematic games, the PC's don't have to put actual points into gesture. It's just something heroes get to do. It laso frees the GM from having to too strictly enforce "no tabletalk" rules.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by Gigermann

I was thinking of Bespin, when the door opens to reveal Vader at the end of the dinner table, and Han doesn't hesitate a microsecond before blasting him four times.

That seems like a natural quickdraw situation to me, given the visual cues; the door opens and Vader's sitting at a dining table rather than menacing or poised to lecture. I mean, if you don't shoot immediately then, when would you?

[Lord Carnifex]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

That seems like a natural quickdraw situation to me, given the visual cues; the door opens and Vader's sitting at a dining table rather than menacing or poised to lecture. I mean, if you don't shoot immediately then, when would you?

Made more intelligible if you realize there was a line cut from the dialogue: Han saying "Crepes. Why did it have to be crepes?"