That lighting configuration is similar to mine:
http://members.shaw.ca/metropolis/welcome.html
Ideally the lights should be all off during any critical viewing, with the exception of the riser/step lights for safety. The latter are dimmable as well and it takes very little glow in an otherwise darkened room to highlight where the edges are. I think stage ropes would be distracting so would suggest you have them on a separate zone.
With products like Lutron's Spacer system (there's a 101 installation thread stuck at the top of this forum) you can pre-program and retrieve four distinct scenes. What moods you want to create are up to you. I'm not finished my theater yet but I envision the following:
- Intermission Scene - passage lights would be full on with some other mood lighting (ex. indirect from crown moulding) up so people can pass in and out safely while not buring out the eyes.
- Movie Scene - basically all off with the exception of dimmed rope lights around steps and riser. Possibly bulkhead lighting but at minimum. Really should be all off with the exception of safety lights.
- Entertaining Scene - indirect moulding lighting full up with some bulkhead lighting for things like Superbowl or Oscar parties. So still relatively dim but not too dark.
- Music Scene - very subdued lighting for just listening to 2 channel.
The best part is that with something like the Spacer product experimentation is very easy. I drafted a quick table with my individual zones across the top and the four scenes on the side. Then just fill in ideas for each square. Good way to organize your thoughts and, if you're in the initial construction stage, can highlight where you might require an extra zone or two. If I were to have done this pre-construction I would have added a sixth zone to separate the stage ropes from the stage pots as I only just realized where I would want to control them separately. If not to big a job I may add another dimmer after the fact.