uwtartarus wrote:

What is the ideal, non-telepathic method of communication for a bioengineered maintenance lizard? Pheromones and scent?

I think you wouldn't use just one method, because which method is optimal is dependant on given circumstances and the required task. Scent queues and pheromones are best for passive elements, where the appropriate signal is produced as a byproduct of the appropriate stimulus. For more direct control, I'd say the ideal is magnetoperception... but that's not allowed using pure RAW bioware (which really annoys me, because magnetically active cells are a real thing). Therefore, I suggest visual communication a'la octomorph colour language, but linked to a higher visual processing rate for bandwidth. Imo, hearing is too circumstance-specific for communication, but useful for situational awareness.

uwtartarus wrote:

How do you make Nanovirii? Like how are they cultured or produced, when not created by a high end specialized nanofabricator?

For Nanoviruses... well, they're [i]viruses[/i]. Biological production is probably the default anyway. This is actually something that nags at me – there's a lot of (potential) crossover between biotech and nanotech, because most viruses and proteins are essentially nanomachines by another name. If you can solve Protein Folding (Which in EP they have) then using biological processes becomes the number one method of producing nanotech. Even if this isn't the case, I still feel that Biotech systems are more likely to use nanoware than cyberware for additional functions to simplify integration.

uwtartarus wrote:

Due to Meathabs dislike of inorganic parts, would the habitat include a significantly less amount of panopticon/sousveillance?

Biological spimes absolutely exist. I have two in my head right now :) Accessing the data is a question of Meathabs' system architecture, but I'd assume it's roughly equivalent to the default. Whether the system grants you access... that's a different story :P Inorganic manufacture probably uses standard systems (iirc Meathab is 10% inorganic), but see my previous comment on nanoware :P

In the off chance you're not done with the concept, how central are you hoping to make 'MeatHab: The Character' to the plot? Are they going to be the focus of the story, or will they be a side-character, with the biotech nature of the Hab providing atmosphere? If you're looking for more thoughts on Biotech, then I'd say the next question is how... 'meaty'... you want Meathab to be, as opposed to other biotech elements. Meathab is made of Bacon, but are the integral systems a separate network woven through the savory substrate, or are they infused into the Bacon's genetics. Try looking at weird/unusual real-world organisms including bacteria and viruses for interesting elements that a designer could incorporate, and don't fall into the trap of using monochrome muscle sheets for architecture. Bioluminescent lighting designs are often drawn from simple bugs, but you just as well have sheets of multicolored glory rippling down the walls. Solid structures can be bone, but you can also incorporate nacre (Mother of Pearl) or woody structures.

For aesthetics maybe think about how your sterotypical tree-shaping Elves would make space-station, and then replace the foliage with jerky. If you're willing to steal from Peter Hamilton's 'Night's Dawn' trilogy, you can have your antagonist infect meathab with a nanovirus (The faithful rub lotions into the walls...) which co-opts the neural substrate, forcing it to run the antagonist's (or an AI's) neural patterns. Functionally, you can run this as MeatHab developing Multiple Personality Disorder and Schizophrenia or being locked in a fevered delirium. MeatHab doesn't say something's wrong because it's lost the capability, and no-one else can tell because of how it 'usually' communicates. You can use this to contrast the sometimes hard to grasp tech of EP with the very human and mundane experiences/fears of being sick or going insane with a nice range of 'symptoms' and intensity to create the atmosphere you want, from more psychological elements like the Lizards acting weirdly or unnerving effects in the structure, to more BodyHorror things like excessive mucous or bleeding walls. ... Seriously, the last time I was really sick I developed a intense need to explain how the main difference between Humans and [i]Fairies[/i] was how hydrogen was metabolized, and became afraid to sleep because my dreams were [i]broken[/i].

I always imagine it like a like cylinder. Like a meaty o neil cylinder but not as hollow. Its packed with... meat. Also, I dont get why spimes in Meathab would have to be cybernetic. You can have eyes made out of meat, and tiny eyes made out of meat.

Something that Meathab also tells us, is there there can be a plethora of other... unique strange habs in Sol and just arent known. Meathab didnt announce itself. It was discovered. There could lots of weird things, that are even out of the plane of the solar system.