this article is sussy and written in short form
Local gate destroyed, system falls into anarchy as supplies dwindle. Ecumenopolis falls into disrepair as the central government loses authority and warlords rise up. Total deadzones where the climate control systems failed and are filled with toxins and mutants. Most of the population lives below the top layer, the city has multiple tiers. The ceiling of the layers have a simulated day night cycle but many have failed, plunging their section into permanent night. The top surface layer of the ecumenopolis is mostly unlivable due to the failure of the atmosphere control units, leading to unpredictable super storms and heavy radiation from space.
Before the collapse, the population of the ecumenopolis and surrounding orbitals was estimated to be a modest 10-20 trillion, with many unaccounted for in the undercity. After the collapse, without proper administrative capability to take a head count, experts estimate that there may be as few as 50 billion left. Much of the orbital infrastructure has deteriorated in a massive runaway kessler syndrome scenario thanks to the loss of most of the computing power needed to maintain so many structures.
Originally built as a frontier administration hub, the entire crust of the planet is a massive supercomputing node for CYNTHIA. As the neighboring systems developed, cities were built on top of the computing layer until the entire planet was encompassed with one giant city. The huge amount of waste heat produced by the planet is recycled into the supercomputing node at less than 1% efficiency, with the rest going off to thermal plants and eventually into the superradiance towers to keep the temperature livable. The IR signature of the ecumenopolis looks similar to the electromagnetic signature of pulsar, with two beams of heat shooting out from the poles of the planet into deep space.
Ideal climate with abundant life
Functioning infrastructure and livable climate
Massive health risks and potential catastrophic ecological collapse
Long term life impossible
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