Question: Posting this as a question, rather than a mistake, as there may be a logical explanation. After Captain Picard, Barklay, and Data become tracked in the simulation of the Enterprise, several times we see them separate to different parts of the ship (Data going to Engineering while Captain Picard remains on the bridge, etc.) Since they are physically in the holodeck, close to each other, they're being tricked by the holodeck. Why, then, when Data throws his comm badge toward the warp core (to prove they're in the holodeck) does the holodeck not continue "tricking" them? If the simulation can cope with two people visibly walking further apart than the actual room, why wouldn't it use similar techniques to make it appear Data's badge just landed where he threw it?
Question: How is Moriarty's simulation able to fool Data? Throughout the show Data is shown to have vastly superior senses to humans. Additionally, spatial tricks and forced perspective would be ineffective on him since he doesn't see the same way humans see. In another episode, Data is able to discern the incredibly slow movement of an object caught in time. It seems unlikely he would be unable to tell his surroundings were computer generated.
Answer: The programme was specifically written to be able to fool Data. As such, additional processing power may have been given to the holodeck projectors to ensure that even Data's more advanced senses were fooled. Additionally, it was never suggested that Data could tell the difference between holograms on the holodeck and real life.
Question: Is Moriarty aware that he is a character on a TV show? If Reg is the only real character in Moriarty's holodeck simulation then why does Moriarty continue his ruse when Reg is not in the scene? To keep the viewer engaged? Was this an inside writers joke?
Answer: Moriarty's holodeck simulation was also created as a deception for Picard and Data, who are also real. Moriarty does realise that he is a holodeck creation based on a character in the Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes novels. However, he was imbued with self-awareness when he was originally created by Geordi as a villain "capable of defeating Data" in the episode, "Elementary, Dear Data." Over time, he overcomes his own programming and achieves sentience, hence his desire to be liberated from the limitations of holodeck space.
Answer: The holodeck simulates walking away by making "treadmills" out of forcefields. If the badge was thrown near a real wall, it would not be able to allow it to actually pass through the wall. The physical barrier would still exist, even if a simulation of the badge was shown to go further. This would mean that it would still hit it and land on the ground.