Probably for physics experiments. The holodeck isn’t just used for entertainment. They might use it to simulate new engines or technologies they are working on. If the forcefields can interact to work just like a prototype engine would, it becomes possible to prototype new tech in the holodeck then fabricating the real thing.
I was blown when I found out that liquid can be drank in the holodeck, and went down a rabbit hole where I found out that modern holodecks have replicators built in, and mix/match when to create real water, and when just to simulate a virtual (but hard) liquid.
Whenever you see a waterfall in the holodeck, it’s likely just rendered scenery until you interact with it, in which case they switch to using a replicator to give the real effect.
TL;DR – Video game mipmapping hasn’t changed essentially
Probably for physics experiments. The holodeck isn’t just used for entertainment. They might use it to simulate new engines or technologies they are working on. If the forcefields can interact to work just like a prototype engine would, it becomes possible to prototype new tech in the holodeck then fabricating the real thing.
I was blown when I found out that liquid can be drank in the holodeck, and went down a rabbit hole where I found out that modern holodecks have replicators built in, and mix/match when to create real water, and when just to simulate a virtual (but hard) liquid.
Whenever you see a waterfall in the holodeck, it’s likely just rendered scenery until you interact with it, in which case they switch to using a replicator to give the real effect.
TL;DR – Video game mipmapping hasn’t changed essentially