The fact that consciousness admits of degrees is verified whenever you go to sleep, or at least when you incorporate external stimuli into a dream. Highway hypnosis seems like another good example.

You say you're already doing the simulation. Interpolations couldn't tell you anything new about what happens within said simulation. Now, there are nevertheless reasons to wonder if they contain consciousness or otherwise add to the problem. But what we know is that you already simulated torture. I need not have a full answer to every philosophical question in order to object.