Star Trek

If it is virtual reality, and you can move around, is there an omnidirectional Treadmill?

I always found the holodeck set to be
far too small, even if some type of a
"treadmill" was involed. Especially in
those instances where it was simply used
as an empty room, rather than a hologram
adventure. Like, when Wesley finally sees
the message left him, by his father. How
can a group of ANY size avoid bumping into
eachother? But for the production value it
offered as just a Big, Empty Space, maybe I
shouldn't be surprised how small the set was.

From what I've read, it is indeed an onmi-directional forcefield treadmill. The holodeck has a number ot tricks to make you feel like you're in a bigger space. If two people walk away from each other in the holodeck, it lenses the light to make them seem farther and farther apart.

Just watch "Take Me Out to the Holosuite."

Or Worf's promotion ceremony in "Generations."

I often wondered, too, how the visitors to the holodeck could walk for long distances, yet still be inside that holosuite.  I always thought the scenery just kind of rolled toward them--as if, as you say, they were walking on a treadmill.  But, the space between the oncoming scenery was flat; the holoprogram stayed physically confined to the walls of the room.

You just had the illusion of depth.

Here's an idea, maybe the projections on the walls were enhanced to increase the depth perception of the user.

I dunno. I'm not a tech guy.

The real question is what is the maximum occupancy of a holodeck?

I would say that holodeck technolgy would have to be the MOST advanced technology in all of Star Trekdom. It's great and opened up the way for wonderful stories, but it really seemed almost TOO advanced.

That's true since it's supposedly based on transporter technology, and transporters are the most far-fetched Star Trek tech in my opinion. There's a good chance transporters are impossible.