All Comments on 'WSIM24B Ch. 08'

I'm really enjoying the "this is a simulation" turn of events. I wonder what your next trick is?

Fake left, fake right and leave us all with heads spinning and wondering what comes next! How does the sim really work and how does it relate to/interact with the real world? If the admiral really can’t be killed, what about Nika and Anna? Are they actually dead or just taken off the board temporarily? How and why is Teck’s group involved? Why did they stay their real life selves when the Pope apparently took on the appearance of his sim role? Does what happens in the sim affect events in real life? What’s the point to cheating? Is this the same universe as WESTRONS, and if so was Cook unknowingly in a sim?

Inquiring minds want to know. And the usual ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of course.

I’ve been to Rome three times. Such a beautiful city. I could spend a week there and still only see a fraction of what I’d like to see. Italy is one of my two favorite places to visit in the world.

Loved the portion of the story with Gina. It was a growth moment for Pilgrim. Well done, especially when juxtaposed against Paulina. That setup helped to enhance the romantic vibe with Gina.

I think you also enhanced the Gina storyline by slowing down your pace. Your ability to set pace, or create urgency through word choice, sentence structure, etc. is exceptional. You’ve usually used that to create a fast pace in this series. But, with Gina, it felt like you slowed it down. It was a nice touch. Great writing.

I had suspected the time travel was a red herring. Your love for battle sims in this series and Westrons had me wondering about that. The story title was a clue as well. And then there’s the whole butterfly effect problem that time travel creates.

I’m still not sure how the SIM works, and am curious to see how it plays out. I mean, is Nika actually dead? How do you get into the SIM? Is it a physical insertion? Or just a mental projection? Interesting concept. Curious to see how you explain it. And also how it connects to some loose ends from earlier, like the hint about Pilgrim meeting Lori again in the future, and Rachel’s request for a referral. If the Sim is only 40 days, then I can’t imagine Pilgrim’s story ends when this first Sim ends. Or am I reading too much into things? Or missing something?

That I have questions is a good sign. Means your reader is engaged and cares. So, as always, great job.

Bloody good as usual. Thank you

Private Pyle to Space Admiral to Pope.

5 stars! But you knew that.

Strong Concerns! But you probably guessed that was coming as well.

Nika's not dead. Pilgrim did NOT actually kill Anna. They're both still in cryo.

Which means there is no real crime here... Soooo what exactly is ISEC gonna do in 48 days, when the game ends and the only thing that happened is a bunch of Heavily connected Admirals were playing a game?

So how exactly is Lady Adriana going to reward him if he pleases Gina? That's an interesting proposition inside of a simulation. Also, this makes me wonder how he's going to be rated/scored because now you've really blurred the line between reality and fantasy. Obviously Abby is not dead and neither is Nika, but except for the captain and his gang...and this one Admiral playing the fake Pope, How did this idea ever get started in the first place? This indeed ties into Westrons, but it is very different in how you're rolling it out, so while I can't imagine your rationale, you definitely created tons of intrigue and reasons to wait for the forthcoming explanations. One of the reveals in that that will be interesting is if Gina is real, because if she's just a simulated character, why would he be feeling like this and effectively have lost his confidence and reassurance? I can speculate that yeah he must really love her to feel this way, because a man only feels like that if he thinks he can lose something that he believes he will never regain again if he messes up. Of course, even playing inside this kind of historical sim where you're eliminating one person and seeing how things work out actually doesn't make too much sense right now, because I would think they would use simulation training in different ways. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the next chapter, because I never imagined this being put in a story. Of course I rated this to five, because you really upped your game with this one and thrown us the biggest of curve balls ever.

This a very intriguing plot line and I am enjoying it tremendously!!! Very much looking forward to the next chapter.

WSIM24 ch 8

Great story and character development. Very original story idea full of small and large plot twists. I really enjoy it and anxiously look forward to the next chapter. After the Admiral / Pope illuminated that they are in a simulation I had a real problem with the ambush that killed Nika. When Sgt Pilgrim and Sgt Nika are aboard the Halygon ship why orient Pilgrim and Nika in sleepread for sword and spear fighting, care of horses and languages?

Why the new implant in their back? It is more logical for Captain Teck to murder them in cryogenic pods on the ship before they go into the simulation.

The only reason for this plot path is that no real people die in the simulation ie Nika and Anna are alive on board the Halygon ship. At the end of the simulation Pilgrim will discover this and that Teck and his crew are nice people playing out a fantasy.

The retired Admirals and others playing the game may be adrenaline junkies but they would not risk death. It is a simulation. When a player dies I suspect the simulator just keeps them in cryosleep until the end of the simulation or the journey and then everyone awakens.

Why did Lady Adriana introduce Pilgrim to Gina? Either she is a player or someone outside the simulation is directing some of the actions.

Awesome. Love the papal politics layered on top of everything else. Keep going!

This is great fun.

I learned from the great sweeping House of Nicolo novels by Dorothy Dunnett that in the era you describe, black cloth was extremely hard to make, and wearing black was in consequence a mark of power and wealth. Makes it an unusual default choice for your Pilgrim. If you haven't discovered those novels I bet you and your wife would enjoy them!

As I said before I believe Nika is alive out of the simulation. I will guess that she came back into the game as Gina. I am a romantic so cheering for Pilgrim to get the girl of his dreams.

@Grey...never thought of that, and BOY would that be wonderful! :)

If you have not read benvenuto cellinis autobiography I would recommend the section where he is the popes silversmith in Rome. Your take on the Era is excellent

I'm a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude! I always look forward to your stories and you never disappoint. Thank you for sharing anothwr well written thread.

Tell me you play EU4 without telling me you play EU4

Nice twist which brings a different outcome from Westrons.

I also wonder if Erika is actually dead (flatlined) or if she just exited the SIM.

I like Ginans character, but I'm not too confident in her surviving more than a couple chapters given the Game Of Thrones -esque tone ;)

I am intrigued as to how you plan to resolve this tail...

This Era is a real low point, maybe the lowest point of catholic church. Great writing as usual.

Amazing story so far.

Haven't finished the chapter, but can someone explain to me:

1: why the pope can apparently not be killed, but Nika (and anyone not a "main player") apparently get permadeath? Like...is Nika/Erika really dead? They (appear to) have flesh and blood bodies, but if the pope can "die" and come back, his physical body can't be actually in danger. So why would Nika's and Pilgrim's (bodies be in danger), other than the fact that their real physical bodies must still be in Teck's custody? Also, why wouldn't Teck just "wake up" the inconvenient interlopers? Srsly... killing them doesn't accomplish anything more than imprisoning them would, and they can't be interrogated of they're dead.

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2: why the hell would Pilgrim (1) assume his implant will still work in a simulation and (2) worry about impregnating someone in a simulation anyway? What the hell kind of sim is this?

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Enjoying the heck out of it, just had to ask those questions.

Really enjoy your work!