What happens if two real people enter a Holodeck and start running away from each other?
The simplest answer is that the Holodeck “compartmentalizes”, in effect becoming a separate Holodeck for each person within it. In reality, the two people would probably be only a few meters apart, but would be separated by a Holodeck-projected “wall”. If they turned to look at each other, they would see an image of the other projected on that wall. Benjamin Chee points out that Star Trek: Generations strongly supports this notion; whilst on the simulation of the seagoing Enterprise, Picard calls for the Holodeck arch and it appears on the ship’s deck. But earlier, Worf and Crusher were sent overboard, below the level of the ship’s deck and therefore below the floor of the Holodeck, unless the holodeck does compartmentalize to some degree. ….
