Why Did People In Star Trek Using A Holodeck Have To Physically Get Into Costume Instead Of Just Creating Hologram Clothing?

[Rampage]

With the high number of Holodeck malfunctioning episodes, it likely a precaution to not end up nude. ;)

Holodecks re all about playing out fantasies. Part of those fantasies for some is playing dress up.

As other said, the crew needs to book time in the holodeck. Some people take way to long playing with their wardrobe, so doing so before hand maximizes holo time. The reverse would be some going to the holodeck to see hundred of outfit projected on themselves before choose some to be made by the replicator.

Second reason is the tactile feel of clothing. Wearing a premade costumes (even replicator ones) feel more authentic than a holo projection and might help some get into their chosen role.

Third, some costumes have dual purpose- both for play inside the holodeck and for actual stage plays the crews perform for each other outside of the holodeck. Some of the Shakespear outfits come to mind.

Fourth, personal preference. Some people may choose suit up before hand others may let the deck do it for them. Picard has no problem showing his love of oldtime stuff, where as say Worf would not be caught outside of the deck dressed in such an unprofessional manner.

 

[RowdyReverb]

because it's more fun that way
plus it probably makes it feel more immersive because you can feel the special clothes you're wearing rather than some visual being projected over your uniform or something like that

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I was going to say the exact same thing. Replicating the clothes would let you feel the cotton on your skin. The holodeck could make it look like you are wearing clothes, but probably has a tough time making it feel like you are wearing clothes

 

[Teiresias]

The holodeck can generate an area of ocean large enough for a ship, but people are still stuck taking sonic showers.

 

[Guppeth]

In the early days of holodeck technology there was a severe limit to what the computer could process. If you made it generate clothing for everyone, and have it behave in a realistic way, there were fewer CPU resources available to make cool AI characters and detailed worlds. So you bring as many props as possible to reduce strain on the computer.

Later, as Starfleet's computers became more powerful, it was no longer necessary to be frugal with resources. But people enjoyed the ritual of dressing up, and the practice continued as a tradition.

 

[HStallion]

I was going to say the exact same thing. Replicating the clothes would let you feel the cotton on your skin. The holodeck could make it look like you are wearing clothes, but probably has a tough time making it feel like you are wearing clothes

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It can recreate ultra extreme space conditions to the point they can use it for testing and experimentation without risking the ship and you're saying it can recreate some realistic feeling underwear?

 

[RowdyReverb]

It can recreate ultra extreme space conditions to the point they can use it for testing and experimentation without risking the ship and you're saying it can recreate some realistic feeling underwear?

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Maybe it can, but it uses more computer processing power and the user has a limited amount to pull from. You could choose realistic hard light underwear, but characters are replaced with Doom-like cardboard cutouts.
A realistic hat means text-based dialogue

 

[MisterHero]

By the time both Kelvinverse/New Trek is done they'll have put emitters all over the TOS-era ships that by the time TNG rolls around again the whole ship is a holodeck

 

[HStallion]

By the time both Kelvinverse/New Trek is done they'll have put emitters all over the TOS-era ships that by the time TNG rolls around again the whole ship is a holodeck

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That actually happened in Voyager. The Predator stand in aliens turned the entire ship into a holodeck and used it to play as Nazis.

 

[ShaggsMagoo]

With the amount of times the Holodeck breaks down or goes wrong, do you really want to trust it with clothing?

 

[deimosmasque]

In canon answer is that the holodeck wasn't always capable of it. We do see it do exactly what you describe in both Star Trek First Contact and Voyager.

Cause you want to try it out first. and it looks cooler to walk to the holodeck in the outfits for the TV show

there are wayyy more pressing matters with Star Trek.

1. why does everyone speak english?
Universal Translator
2. why does every alien look human except for facial prosthetics.?
Sentient life was seeded by the Preservers who intentionally made it so intelligence and sentience would evolve easier in a humanoid form.
3. why did away teams beam down to inhospitable planets without body armor, EV suits, camera drones, robot bodyguards, etc? Actually, wtf do they send people instead of drones?
Yeah this one is more of a budget issue, fair point.
4. why aren't there more cyborgs? i would definitely be upgrading my fragile body, like Cyberpunk 2077 (minus the glitches)
Cybernetics are used as prosthetics for the disabled not as a means of trans humanism. No canon reason but it probably has something to do with the Eugenics Wars.
5. why isn't there a cure for baldness?
Maybe there is, maybe Picard just don't care.
6. why the fuck is there a barber on the ship? who joins the federation and becomes a barber or bartender?
The barber in TNG and Guinan are not members of Starfleet. The Enterprise D had civilian staff to cater to its crew and civilian passengers as the families of the crew lived on the ship as well.
7. shouldn't they share the food replicator tech with every culture they meet, instead of making them farm and cook like barbarians?
Replicators can be used to make a lot more than food, such as weapons, diseases, hazardous materials, etc.
The Federation has had poor experiences in the past of "uplifting" other civilizations and try to avoid that.

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[HStallion]

I imagine a lot of this happening with the people leaving the holodeck door unlocked.

 

[CitizenVectron]

 

[Fiction]

Cause humans, no matter the century, like dressing up. It's fun. It conveys social status. Look at Picard there. I could never be that cool.

 

[HStallion]

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Fuck that's dark.

 

[RowdyReverb]

Because then you'd have to walk down the hall in your underwear.

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In the 23rd century, nobody cares if you walk down the hall in your underwear

 

[Hella]

Computer... Activate the Emergency Entertainment Hologram.

Role: Starfleet officer; rank: Captain.

 

[rjinaz]

It can recreate ultra extreme space conditions to the point they can use it for testing and experimentation without risking the ship and you're saying it can recreate some realistic feeling underwear?

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I was going to say. People use this shit for fucking. I'm sure it can handle cotton.

 

[Foltzie]

nerds love to show off that they larp

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Correct.

Dont tell me that Picard doesnt proudly have his Dixon Hill suit in his room next to his flute.

 

[Dead Man Typing]

Unless you're in First Contact where the script doesn't have time to let them change so they just use holograms I guess.

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Enterprise E has an upgraded holodeck that could do clothes more efficiently than the old Enterprise D holodeck. Maybe it was a software patch.

 

[HStallion]

Enterprise E has an upgraded holodeck that could do clothes more efficiently than the old Enterprise D holodeck. Maybe it was a software patch.

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They started using DLSS

 

[Foltzie]

Computer... Activate the Emergency Entertainment Hologram.

Role: Starfleet officer; rank: Captain.

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That's a nice touch.

 

[Arta]

So they don't have to worry about clipping.

 

[onyx]

The real question is why don't they have holo-emitters throughout the ship to generate extra personal or whatever when needed.

Ship is under attack and being boarded. Extra security that can't die.
People are hurt throughout the ship. Extra medical staff.
Holo pets for people to keep in their rooms.

 

[Deleted member 3758]

.

 

[deimosmasque]

Riker uses cheat codes.

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Nah it's just that Enterprise sucks, even when pretending it was TNG.

 

[VeryHighlander]

Cause you want to try it out first. and it looks cooler to walk to the holodeck in the outfits for the TV show

there are wayyy more pressing matters with Star Trek.

1. why does everyone speak english?
2. why does every alien look human except for facial prosthetics.?
3. why did away teams beam down to inhospitable planets without body armor, EV suits, camera drones, robot bodyguards, etc? Actually, wtf do they send people instead of drones?
4. why aren't there more cyborgs? i would definitely be upgrading my fragile body, like Cyberpunk 2077 (minus the glitches)
5. why isn't there a cure for baldness?
6. why the fuck is there a barber on the ship? who joins the federation and becomes a barber or bartender?
7. shouldn't they share the food replicator tech with every culture they meet, instead of making them farm and cook like barbarians?

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Literally every single one of your issues has an in lore explanation.
1. Universal translators. Not everyone's speaking English, lmao. There's even a plot point in DS9 where the Breen's language can't be deciphered by the translator, so it sounds like technowarble nonsense.
2. Every Star Trek show has encounters with really weird alien creatures. TOS they come across a solar system sized worm that eats planets. In TNG another huge space worm. In DS9 the "prophets" literally don't have a corporeal form and use dreams/known imagery to communicate with you. Changelings that can turn into space ships. So many examples. Obviously most look humanoid for budget reasons.
3. my dude their ships have computers that do literally anything they are scanning the planets...
4. There are lots of cyborgs/synthezoids/androids and all that stuff. I assume with the Federation there are rules against augmenting yourself, but there are characters that are techno-enhanced, genetically enhanced, and then there's Data, one of the main known characters of all of Star Trek.
5. society has passed the point where being bald is socially awkward. No one cares. Besides, maybe there is a cure, and the characters we see that are bald are just fine with it.
6. The real life US military has people dedicated to cleaning toilets and cafeterias. Much less chefs, barbers etc.
7. Different civilizations do have their own replicator tech. Cardassian replicators are all throughout DS9. Romulans have way different tech for holodecks. Idk. I feel like if you actually watched any Star Trek any of these points of yours would be answered but this one point in particular is egregious. Literally the best part about Star Trek is when they delve into other cultures' tech and stuff.

 

[The Real Abed]

The real question is why don't they have holo-emitters throughout the ship to generate extra personal or whatever when needed.

Ship is under attack and being boarded. Extra security that can't die.
People are hurt throughout the ship. Extra medical staff.
Holo pets for people to keep in their rooms.

Click to shrink...

This would make too much sense. And would especially be useful on Voyager, a ship that already has a holographic doctor (albeit he's only supposed to be a backup not a permanent replacement) as well as a lot of lonely people who wont see home for a long time and could use companionship.

Plus it's not like the holodecks are commercialized like on DS9. So what's the harm in having some personal holograms. I guess they'd be limited to just certain things. Like games or pets. Maybe use them like personal TVs with plays and stories.

I guess to be honest since Doctor was only supposed to be supplemental to a normal physical medical staff it did kind of make sense to only have them in Sickbay. I'm just surprised that at no point during the journey did they have Paris install some everywhere just for the hell of it. It's not like they're difficult to make. Janeway gave one away to an alien species and it was super small. I guess they didn't need to since Doctor had his mobile emitter by the middle of season 3.

You just know if they were all over the Enterprise, Riker would be taking advantage of it every night. If you know what I mean. Wink wink nudge nudge. Sex. It's sex. With holographic women. Because Riker likes women.

 

[onyx]

This would make too much sense. And would especially be useful on Voyager, a ship that already has a holographic doctor (albeit he's only supposed to be a backup not a permanent replacement) as well as a lot of lonely people who wont see home for a long time and could use companionship.

Plus it's not like the holodecks are commercialized like on DS9. So what's the harm in having some personal holograms. I guess they'd be limited to just certain things. Like games or pets. Maybe use them like personal TVs with plays and stories.

I guess to be honest since Doctor was only supposed to be supplemental to a normal physical medical staff it did kind of make sense to only have them in Sickbay. I'm just surprised that at no point during the journey did they have Paris install some everywhere just for the hell of it. It's not like they're difficult to make. Janeway gave one away to an alien species and it was super small. I guess they didn't need to since Doctor had his mobile emitter by the middle of season 3.

You just know if they were all over the Enterprise, Riker would be taking advantage of it every night. If you know what I mean. Wink wink nudge nudge. Sex. It's sex. With holographic women. Because Riker likes women.

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The holo doctor in voyager had pretty advance programming. He was pretty much another lifeform. Other holo programs throughout the ship could have simpler programming. The AI in Trek is so advance I'm surprised their aren't any moral questions about what goes on in the holodecks. There were a few instances when characters became self aware.

I forgot about the mobile emitter, but that would need a whole rule book on what's allowed if they're not banned. Although a holographic army would be a great weapon against the borg and just about everyone. They killed a few borg with holographic weapons in First Contact and I remember some planet that had a holographic army.

 

[Deleted member 5359]

Why does Wesley run around with a stack of tablets?

 

[Deleted member 8166]

It's more fun

 

[KDR_11k]

1. why does everyone speak english?

Click to shrink...

Besides the universal translator, media usually depicts whatever the native language of the character is with the native language of the audience. In Germany everybody on Star Trek speaks German :P.

For example in the X games the canonical language for humans is some form of Japanese (unlike cyberpunk that comes across more as weeb than as fear of Japan taking over the world) but you hear it as English in the English version. Though there are translators involved for all the alien species and they have an improbable ability to learn a language from a few fragments (the first game literally has an alien say like 2-3 untranslated phrases before going "we should have reached language compatibility now").

 

[Herne]

Cause you want to try it out first. and it looks cooler to walk to the holodeck in the outfits for the TV show

there are wayyy more pressing matters with Star Trek.

1. why does everyone speak english?
2. why does every alien look human except for facial prosthetics.?
3. why did away teams beam down to inhospitable planets without body armor, EV suits, camera drones, robot bodyguards, etc? Actually, wtf do they send people instead of drones?
4. why aren't there more cyborgs? i would definitely be upgrading my fragile body, like Cyberpunk 2077 (minus the glitches)
5. why isn't there a cure for baldness?
6. why the fuck is there a barber on the ship? who joins the federation and becomes a barber or bartender?
7. shouldn't they share the food replicator tech with every culture they meet, instead of making them farm and cook like barbarians?

Click to shrink...

1. They don't, they are using universal translators. Everyone is speaking their own language.

2. See Star Trek - The Next Generation episode S06E20, The Chase.

3. Out of universe explanation, it's a TV show with a limited budget and it'd be boring to watch drones instead of the crew. Ideally if they had to use crew they would have specific landing teams specialising in first contact, linguistic studies and combat, but again we come down to budget issues. In universe, I don't think there is an explanation, other than Starfleet has ethical issues with using "mechanical life" to do the grunt work (as seen in TNG S06E09, The Quality Of Life).

4. I don't remember if this was ever addressed, but this is probably something the Federation and definitely Starfleet doesn't like. Many people are cyborgs - Picard has an artificial heart for example - but typically only in the cases of organ and limb replacement, not really enhancement. Possibly has ramifications due to the Eugenics Wars - Julian Bashir on DS9 was genetically altered by his parents to be smarter which was really, really frowned on. He nearly lost his position when it was revealed.

5. Maybe there is and some people just don't care. Out of universe, of course we don't have a cure and some people actually look better bald - Picard, for example. And Sisko. Patrick Stewart had a wig with him when auditioning for Picard and they all immediately told him to remove it.

6. Nobody joins the Federation unless they immigrate to it - it's a collection of worlds that allied together for mutual defense and economic gain after a devastating war, in much the same way as the EU is a collection of countries that did the same. So Mott, the barber on board the Enterprise D, was likely born in the Federation. Starfleet is the military and exploratory arm of the Federation, so that's the more likely organisation to join. And I'm not sure I ever saw Mott in a Starfleet uniform so it's likely he's a civilian who applied after seeing a job listing. After all, children are aboard the Enterprise D. Undoubtedly civilians are too, doing all sorts of work.

7. They often do give gifts of replicators, but aside from the fact that they don't like to interfere in underdeveloped worlds, something that can replicate food can be altered to replicate anything - like weapons. Plus there's the issue of power sources - they're probably very power hungry as well.

 

[julia crawford]

5. why isn't there a cure for baldness?

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I'm partially sure Guinan has sabotaged any baldness tech

 

[Vault]

think of the poor Ferangi that has to clean the Holosuites at Quarks

 

[Crayman]

I think it's because the holodeck can create things, but it can't physically remove real things. If you show up in your uniform, and then ask to wear a kilt for your Braveheart program, you'll still feel like you are wearing the uniform even if you can't see it because of holographic science/magic.

 

[Herne]

The real question is why don't they have holo-emitters throughout the ship to generate extra personal or whatever when needed.

Ship is under attack and being boarded. Extra security that can't die.
People are hurt throughout the ship. Extra medical staff.
Holo pets for people to keep in their rooms.

Click to shrink...

If I'm remembering correctly it's a hell of a power drain to project them as physical beings - Voyager had issues relying on the EMH long-term when it was supposed to be for emergencies only. An army of support staff on every deck would be way too much for probably a starbase, never mind a ship.

 

[FaceHugger]

I saw it like as their night out. Kind of like dressing up for a night out on town. I mean otherwise they live on a space ship and walk around in uniform all day. It seems like some even slept in their onesies.

 

[davidnolan13]

how do they not run into the holodeck walls? i always thought it creates a treadmill type effect under you so you sort of move on the spot but how would that work with multiple people?

 

[Dreamwriter]

It can recreate ultra extreme space conditions to the point they can use it for testing and experimentation without risking the ship and you're saying it can recreate some realistic feeling underwear?

Click to shrink...

Holo-underwear chafes

 

[Typhon]

The real question is why don't they have holo-emitters throughout the ship to generate extra personal or whatever when needed.

Ship is under attack and being boarded. Extra security that can't die.
People are hurt throughout the ship. Extra medical staff.
Holo pets for people to keep in their rooms.

Click to shrink...

Would you really trust technology that's known to malfunction and try to kil you without much provocation to not malfuction during a battle where everything is exploding?

 

[sir_crocodile]

just dont use Deep Space 9's holodecks

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holosuites

 

[19thCenturyFox]

Why do we never see the treadmills that keep people from walking into the walls of the holodeck?

Edit: Damn too late!

 

[Psittacus]

It can recreate long dead people down to their minor quirks, I don't think it would have trouble generating you some sweat pants and a dirty tee shirt.

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Why waste the computational overhead simulating an additional set of clothes when you can get the universe to do it for you?

 

[JonnyDBrit]

To be honest it's probably also useful as a social cue. Ie, no bother trying to talk to Data and Geordi while they're dressed up as Holmes and Watson - they're off shift and have places to be.

 

[Netherscourge]

Because TV show writers don't always take everything into consideration.

 

[Deleted member 32005]

It can recreate long dead people down to their minor quirks, I don't think it would have trouble generating you some sweat pants and a dirty tee shirt.

Click to shrink...

It can perfectly simulate the past

Spoiler: Devs spoiler

and may predict the future?

 

[Tavernade]

The real question is why don't they have holo-emitters throughout the ship to generate extra personal or whatever when needed.

Ship is under attack and being boarded. Extra security that can't die.
People are hurt throughout the ship. Extra medical staff.
Holo pets for people to keep in their rooms.

Click to shrink...

They actually did this on Picard (maybe I missed if someone else already mentioned it). It was a fun twist but under-utilised in the show.

The problem with over reliance on Holo-Crew is that you can likely shut them off like any other subsystem, so over reliance on them means your foe can focus their effort on shutting down the main holodeck systems instead of actually fighting your army. Although your army could now be velociraptors with phasers for faces and bazookas for tails.

 

[Pluto]

Some people might simply enjoy dressing up. People don't have to put on costumes at Halloween either but for many people it's fun.

 

[GungHo]

There is a lot of shit about the holodecks that you just don't ask about. You just accept it, and move along.

 

[HStallion]

They actually did this on Picard (maybe I missed if someone else already mentioned it). It was a fun twist but under-utilised in the show.

The problem with over reliance on Holo-Crew is that you can likely shut them off like any other subsystem, so over reliance on them means your foe can focus their effort on shutting down the main holodeck systems instead of actually fighting your army. Although your army could now be velociraptors with phasers for faces and bazookas for tails.

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I suppose mass producing The Doctor's personnel holo emitter would work better though that's super advanced tech compared to even what Star Fleet has.