Why don't they have locker rooms in the holodecks?

[JonnyQuest037]

I know the real reason is "because it's fun to see the crew walking the halls in unusual costumes", but wouldn't it make more sense to provide changing facilities right inside or right next to the holodecks? And if you're doing some sort of workout scenario the way Worf or Dax would, you could shower, cool off, and change right there. Wesley wouldn't have had to drip water all over the deck in "Encounter at Farpoint", either.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I know the real reason is "because it's fun to see the crew walking the halls in unusual costumes", but wouldn't it make more sense to provide changing facilities right inside or right next to the holodecks? And if you're doing some sort of workout scenario the way Worf or Dax would, you could shower, cool off, and change right there. Wesley wouldn't have had to drip water all over the deck in "Encounter at Farpoint", either.

Then we could have the wacky high jinx we see in shows where there are locker rooms. The woman/man bursts in on co-worker clad only in towel to yell at them scenes. Or the "I didn't know anyone was in here" scene for the couple on the edge of romance.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't know how long this existed (in-universe) before ST:FC, but in that film we see Picard giving instructions to the computer as to what clothes he wants to be wearing when the landing party beams down to Earth. So if the computer can do that - change people's clothing mid-transport - it could probably do the same in a holodeck.

Meaning, when you go into a holodeck and activate your program, the computer transports your existing clothes off you, replicates new program-appropriate attire, which it then beams ONTO you.

 

[stardream]

I remember Janeway telling Tom she was a size four in Bride of Chaoctica and wondering about this. So in addition to all the other things Tom can do (that aren't his job) he is also a dressmaker? Or did she just show up in the simulation and voila...a new dress a la Cinderella?

 

[CorporalClegg]

I thought about this watching Paper Moon once. If Nog never left the holosuite, where did he get his clothes?

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I don't know how long this existed (in-universe) before ST:FC, but in that film we see Picard giving instructions to the computer as to what clothes he wants to be wearing when the landing party beams down to Earth. So if the computer can do that - change people's clothing mid-transport - it could probably do the same in a holodeck.

It's been a while since I've seen First Contact, but surely those were just instructions to the ship's quartermaster? I never got the impression that their clothes were being switched mid-transport, like they just slid down the batpoles or something.

 

[Kemaiku]

They're forced to hide in there together, the main computer is locked out, so it's just the Holodecks own internal computer and power grid that allows that scene at all.

So no, everything that happens from when they enter until they leave is done by it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It's been a while since I've seen First Contact, but surely those were just instructions to the ship's quartermaster? I never got the impression that their clothes were being switched mid-transport, like they just slid down the batpoles or something.

No, Picard specifically addresses the computer as they're getting into the turbolift. He says: "Computer, mid 21st century civilian clothing."

 

[uniderth]

No, Picard specifically addresses the computer as they're getting into the turbolift. He says: "Computer, mid 21st century civilian clothing."

Yes, but they aren't beaming down from the turbo lift. He could have given that order in the transporter room. It seems to me that he's giving orders so that the clothing will be ready for them in the transporter room. Where they can then change and beam down.

 

[Richard Baker]

The Holodeck can create an entire city, including department stores and a spa- no reason not to have a 'holo changing room' appear whenever it might be needed.

It is fun though, seeing our characters walking around in weird period clothing. I still remember how odd it was watching Picard, still dressed as a private detective, sitting in his command chair at the end of 'The Big Goodbye'

 

[The Wormhole]

The Holodeck can create an entire city, including department stores and a spa- no reason not to have a 'holo changing room' appear whenever it might be needed.

It is fun though, seeing our characters walking around in weird period clothing. I still remember how odd it was watching Picard, still dressed as a private detective, sitting in his command chair at the end of 'The Big Goodbye'

On the other hand, I thought it a bit silly the entire senior staff walk onto the bridge wearing 18th century naval uniforms. I can just imagine the junior officers on duty talking about this later on. "You know if we did that Riker would chew our asses over it."

 

[The Old Mixer]

like they just slid down the batpoles or something

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

[cultcross]

No, Picard specifically addresses the computer as they're getting into the turbolift. He says: "Computer, mid 21st century civilian clothing."

But surely that just means 'replicate me some' rather than the unnecessarily complex operation of beaming those clothes onto him when he beams down?

 

[Tiberius]

I don't know how long this existed (in-universe) before ST:FC, but in that film we see Picard giving instructions to the computer as to what clothes he wants to be wearing when the landing party beams down to Earth. So if the computer can do that - change people's clothing mid-transport - it could probably do the same in a holodeck.

I never saw it as happening that way. saw it as he was telling the computer to replicate the clothing so they could pick it up and change before they beamed down. We saw them in the turbolift, and we saw them next as they materialized on the surface. There's clearly some period of time we didn't see, and they could have easily just changed clothes in that time.

 

[Kemaiku]

He asks the same panel on the Holodeck we see in TNG, just updated. They're already inside the holomatrix, it materialises the clothing onto them by altering the current clothing.

 

[Jedi Marso]

On the other hand, I thought it a bit silly the entire senior staff walk onto the bridge wearing 18th century naval uniforms. I can just imagine the junior officers on duty talking about this later on. "You know if we did that Riker would chew our asses over it."

You bet. "It's good to be da king!"

 

[Shat Happens]

I never bought ST`s idea of clothing being transported/replicated on the user. For example, titties and sacks and butts drop a little (or a lot) when we are naked and/or are supported/shaped depending on the clothes we wear.

So the computer would have to do what? generate a small shaped forcefield to tuck things into place before materializing the clothes? and to have them stretched in place, tension fibers beforehand?

This is harder than when Saavik in ST2 was speaking *during* transport, how did the transporter deal with the air molecules in her lungs? were they beamed from the planet or were the ones already present in the transporter room?

 

[maneth]

Good question. Holodeck/transporter tech is complex.

 

[SPCTRE]

So the computer would have to do what? generate a small shaped forcefield to tuck things into place before materializing the clothes? and to have them stretched in place, tension fibers beforehand?

so that's where Trek technology starts straining your suspension of disbelief?

 

[Timo]

Good question. Holodeck/transporter tech is complex.

Or then simple. The transporter doesn't have to "do" anything much to its subjects if its function is to just transform a person or an object into his or its phased analogue and then let that analogue exist as it pleases. Every phased molecule holds on to the next one just like their regular versions did before the phasing; there's no need to store any reassembly information because nothing was deassembled in the first place.

People always move during transport - this is an inevitable consequence of how the illusion is created in the studio/on location. And that makes things much simpler, because it supports the idea that people are whole when being transported; they just happen to be phased (much like in TNG "The Next Phase"/"The Pegasus"), hence being invisible and easily going through walls and so forth.

However, a holodeck no doubt is complex. It's a consumer product, just about the only consumer product ever seen in Star Trek besides clothing. Of course it would have all the possible bells and whistles, and then some impossible ones thrown in just to make it more attractive. The tiny little bit of extra effort potentially involved in materializing clothing directly on the user would certainly be made.

Timo Saloniemi