It's Only A Paper Moon - Holosuite Question

[Stephen!]

Something I was wondering about "It's Only A Paper Moon" .... Vic Fontaine states that nothing is real except for Nog. Since that's the case, how come Nog still has the tuxedo, rather than what he was wearing when he originally went in there.

 

[jamestyler]

It's the same as in the TNG pilot where Wesley falls into a pond in the holodeck and comes out wet.

I'm sure someone can give a better description, but elements of the holodeck are replicated matter. As such they can be retained outside of the holographic emmitters.

'course it could have just been that Vic sorted it so that the holographic suit would keep running so no one would see Nog naked.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

People normally go into the holodeck dressed for the occasion. I assume they do that so they don't have to change clothes in the holodeck. But it shouldn't be a big deal to get some clothes replicated for you in the holodeck itself, either.

 

[KevasTrader]

Isn't there an episode of TNG where Wesley throws a snowball through the holodeck archway that hits Picard and Worf who are in the corridor?

 

[UssGlenn]

The characters always describe the holodeck as only photons and force fields but as we have seen on multiple occasions traditional replicated matter must be used as well for the thing to work as depicted.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The characters always describe the holodeck as only photons and force fields but as we have seen on multiple occasions traditional replicated matter must be used as well for the thing to work as depicted.

Yep. If you go in and recreate your favorite restaurant in the holodeck, for example, you'll be eating actual food. Replicated food, to be sure, but still food. Not holographic.

 

[SoM]

The characters always describe the holodeck as only photons and force fields but as we have seen on multiple occasions traditional replicated matter must be used as well for the thing to work as depicted.

Not always - usually, maybe; but they have said that some of the props (food, as others have said, being a good example) are replicated rather than holographic before.

 

[Lindley]

Think about it for a second. Replicating matter may take more computer power initially, but once it exists, the holodeck can simply ignore it except on an interaction level. Holographic projections must be constantly maintained, but can be much simpler: Only a surface appearance is necessary to be created.

It's thus a trade-off. I'd expect the holodeck to replicate anything that is simple in composition but complex in dynamic behavior, such as water; and project anything that is complex in composition but easier to simulate the behavior of, such as trees.

Food is an exception: It'd be much easier to project than to replicate. But since food replication algorithms already exist, the holodeck may as well use them.

 

[Hermiod]

I would imagine that it would be difficult for a holodeck to create water via photons and forcefields that actually felt wet.

 

[Timo]

This brings forth the question of whether the holodeck does something more than create illusory or real substances. Presumably it also creates things like noises and temperatures and various shock effects. How much of that is achieved via actual creation of illusory or real substances, and how much of it is direct fooling around with our senses? Theoretically, the holodeck could stimulate our nerves, or even our brain directly, with electromagnetic fields so that we feel things that aren't there even in illusory form...

Most of the holodeck magic can still be explained by creation of real or illusory matter (the latter mainly involving application of forcefields), though.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

Seems to me that food and water which would be consumed, would have to be real. I can't imagine how the taste of food, the in-mouth feel and sensation of it traveling down the esophagus and settling in the stomach, could be simulated by force fields.

 

[Kelso]

Hasn't the holodeck been described as using "holographic light and replicated matter"?

 

[2 of 10]

What then takes place when you turn off the holodeck safety protocals. Does all photonic matter become real matter or does the safety protocal effect only certain systems within the holographic environment.

Seven of Nine turned off the protocal in "Night" and used Capt Protons ray gun to stun one of the intruders. Also in "Extream Risk" B'Lenna used many dangerous programs with the safties off, and suffered some pretty serious injuries...

Resistance is Futile

 

[jamestyler]

I'd imagine all objects are solid whether made out or temporarily replicated matter, or light enforced with focefields to project the illusion of them being real. With the safety protocols in place if you were to stab someone, the blade would automatically pass straight through you as the holodeck recognises the danger involved - like a proximity sensor to an organic being.

With the protocols deactivated the sensors would ignore the proximity warnings and you'd find a blade in your belly...

..or receive a phaser blast, bullet wound, severe impact (countered by automatically changing the gravitational fields) etc.

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

The illusion of falling would be replicated exactly as the physics would outside the holodeck. I guess a forcefield would hit you with an identical amount of force. Whatever technology deactivates rayguns i.e., in the transporters, would be turned off allowing them to interact with matter in the holodeck.

Uhh, what he said. ^

 

[Timo]

Also, considering that the very purpose of turning safeties off is (in nine cases out of ten at least) to heighten the sense of risk, the computer might well respond to such an order by adding lethal danger where there previously was none.

That is, phaser beams in the original simulation would have been mere harmless displays of light, with no real phaser activity taking place there. But after the safeties were turned off, the computer would add a sensation of pain whenever the phasers hit, and might stop your heart with a forcefield squeeze when there was a lethal hit, and then play some sort of a masquerade so that other players would see you disappear as if hit with a vaporize-setting phaser. It might not need to go through the trouble of actually creating a phaser beam, then.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[darthraidr]

With the protocols deactivated the sensors would ignore the proximity warnings and you'd find a blade in your belly...

..or receive a phaser blast, bullet wound, severe impact (countered by automatically changing the gravitational fields) etc.

good thing those protocols never get deactivated...

has anyone ever done a tally of "holodeck experiences that worked" vs "holodeck experiences that were bugged/broken/hacked/failed"?

 

[Thirishar]

Worf: "We were like warriors from the ancient sagas. There was nothing we couldn't do."

O'Brien: "Except keep the holodecks working right."

-Deep Space Nine: The Way of the Warrior

 

[Sheliak]

Food, Drink, & Clothing are replicated, the rest is holographic and my answer to your real question is Treachery, Faith, & the Great River.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

That is, phaser beams in the original simulation would have been mere harmless displays of light, with no real phaser activity taking place there. But after the safeties were turned off, the computer would add a sensation of pain whenever the phasers hit, and might stop your heart with a forcefield squeeze when there was a lethal hit, and then play some sort of a masquerade so that other players would see you disappear as if hit with a vaporize-setting phaser. It might not need to go through the trouble of actually creating a phaser beam, then.

Hmm. I always thought that taking the safeties offline means that it's now just as lethal as outside the holodeck. Meaning, all weapons would be real (including phasers). Seems that it'd be easier for the computer to simply shoot you with a real phaser blast than to go to the trouble of faking the effects.