Conundrum

for Half-Life

10th March 2006

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

Hours after defeating Nihilanth, Gordon Freeman remained lost in the other world known as Xen. As time passed, and rations ran low, Freeman ran into a room filled with humming teleporters. He didn’t know which one to choose, so he stepped into one and was transported back to the Black Mesa Facility.

He found a room full of scientists who were screaming about being trapped, and being doomed. They wanted to head to the surface, but were afraid of the military’s blockade.

Bravely, Gordon Freeman once again stepped forward and headed out into the military over-run facility. As he made his way through the halls, his eye caught a strangely lit room. Inside was what looked like a miniature replica of ancient Egypt.

Inside the room, suddenly the walls started shaking. The miniature replica sank into the floor. A hidden trap door opened, and Freeman fell through. He found himself in an underground cavern filled with Xenian monsters and pitfalls.

The Black Mesa Facility was still under attack. Military still roamed the areas in and around the facility. Freeman would have to go through another gruelling battle with the military, and fight for his life through the Egyptian lands he found.

It was all mixed together..the facility and the Egyptian lands; a conundrum of sorts…and once again, Gordon Freeman was stuck right in the middle of it.

Basic Details
  • Title: Conundrum 1
  • File Name: hl1-sp-conundrum-1.7z
  • Original File Name: conundrum.zip
  • Size : 3.50MB
  • Author: Ron Smith AKA Doc Rock
  • Date Released: 26 May 2000
PlanetPhillip Download Servers
Installation Instructions
  • Copy the conundrum folder into your Half-Life folder.
  • Restart or start Steam.
  • Conundrum should now be listed in your Library tab.

If you require more help, please visit the Help page.

Screenshots

Click on the thumbnails below to open a 1024 pixel wide image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Reader Recommendations
Avoid It!
Think Twice
Maybe
Play It Later
Play It Now!

12 recommendations, average score: 2.83 (out of 5), standard deviation: 2.14 (what's that?)
Total Downloads

Please note: These statistics are valid from December 2010

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Meta Review Data
Statistics based on 1 comment(s) with meta review data.

Installed:
Using Gauge: Users
Manually: 1 Users

Time Taken:
Average: 3 Hours, 30 Mins
Shortest: 3 Hours, 30 Mins by Qwertyus
Longest: 3 Hours, 30 Mins by Qwertyus
Total Time Played: 3 Hours, 30 Mins
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Special Events
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Jump to a review
Play It Now!Play It Now!Play It Now!Phillip says MaybeAvoid It!Avoid It!Think TwiceMaybe?Maybe?Avoid It!Maybe?Think Twice

29 Comments

  1. Mod Resource

    Conundrum is one of those mods that is “fun.” It challenges you with puzzles, and to move on, you must figure them out, one by one. However, once you’ve beat the game, only after a long while can you come back and play it again because, well, you know the answers to the puzzles already. This is a good mod though. I like puzzles, and this one serves them up a plenty. It reminds me of the part in HL when you get to the big crane section, and you look to the left, and wonder, “How am I gonna get there to that door?’

    Then you look up and see the crates floating above you, and say, “Oh. Thats how…” Anyway, there is a loose story in this mod, and I belive it’s that you have to get out of the “puzzle-world’, and get back to the real world. Its a fun mod, and a good break from the non-stop action of Half-Life.

    Good: Makes you think; challenging puzzles; nicely done overall
    Bad: No new textures or models; playable only once in a while; somewhat buggy
    Rating: 3/5

  2. heyzors

    I dont understand this mod. Its a huge circle so it literally went in this huge are and brought me back to the beggining. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO OR IF THIS IS THE END! SOMEONE PLEASE RESPOND SO I CAN KNOW!!!!!!!
    thanks

  3. andyb

    if you mean back at beginning and some lights are out and no scientists you are where youre supposed to be.now use the keyboards again to try and get out of the romm then head down stairs to a door that used to be locked.grab the weapon,push the button and head back up to where that room you came out of was.a new door will be open.

  4. geekofalltrades
    Play It Now!

    This mod has a really interesting premise… play it for the novelty value if nothing else. That’s not to say that the rest of the mod is awful… but not much is revolutionary, either. Some of the puzzles can be insanely difficult, like one where you proceed by shooting the glass top of a towering pyramid off in the distance. Still, a good mod overall.

  5. Jim
    Play It Now!

    Can someone help me get out of the first level? I played this mod a long time ago but I can’t remember how to get started. I am in the hallway outside the room with the computers and scientists, but none of the doors open…

  6. Go up the stairs again and jump over to the corner then back and go back to the hall.The door at the other end will be open.The jump across triggers the door to open but only for a short time.

  7. shawn

    Odd–I seem to be trying to play a different mod than the one reviewed by several folks, above. In-game music drowns out what the scientists are saying to me. Next, I have to lure the Barney in front of a door, which I open, whereupon a grunt kills him. I pick up Barney’s gun, the grunt doesn’t notice, I shoot him, and the grunt doesn’t respond (except to die). Very soon after that there’s no apparent way to proceed. It just doesn’t seem worth playing.

  8. You gave up in less than a minute?Get the hev suit then open the door to the hall.Shoot the grunt or let barney do it,then go through the door at the end of the hall and up the stairs.The rest is answered in other posts.

  9. Play It Now!

    This mod is well done, and it has some great puzzles. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to play a mod that requires you to think once in a while.

  10. TheSecondOne

    i back to the beggining but I can’t open the door.Its a bug? I trie everthing or how can I do it?

  11. Gilfrarry

    See the third comment. If that doesn’t help, please describe exactly where you are.

  12. I’m stuck! I’m in a room that has breakable crystals in it. I found a way to open the first grate but the next one is still closed. Has someone played this mod before who can give me a hint? Thanks!!!

  13. Tell me a map name or number from your saved games and maybe I can help.Always include important stuff like that if you want help as we cant remember every map/mod and certain spots.

  14. If your on TR3 then after you shoot the crystals go back to the gate you came in from.turn around and you will see sparks occasionally on the wall on the left part way up the ramp into the next room.Go to the spark area and use the “use key”

  15. BayTheMoon

    Great mod, but I’m stuck in the waterfall area (TR11). I’ve been up and down the ladder etc. But can’t find a way out. Any kind helpers out there? Just need a gentle hint.

  16. Phillip says Maybe

    No conundrum from me regarding my recommendation. I recognize and respect all the work that went into this, especially considering the age, but too many doors didn’t work for me, same for level changes.

    The whole Egyptian thing didn’t really make sense either. The combat was generally about the right level and a lot of time the route is unclear.

    There’s one part I remember clearly, where you are in a huge cavern with a waterfall. Normally if you hit water you lose no or little health, but in here you died. I jumped into the waterfall to see what would happen and found the exit. Sure, there was probably another route but the fact I just jumped tells you something.

    Definitely not looking forward to the second part but at over 25MB it won’t be for the 100SDoN.

    Just like Timefall, this is a mod to take your time with and play slowly and carefully.

    All in all it’s more complicated than it needs to be and two gargs in one small space is overkill.

  17. Avoid It!

    Crashing at level changes, rubbish architecture, poor gameplay, lack of knowledge of ancient Egypt (some of the symbolism was Meso American) and did I mention poor gameplay!?

    There’s not a lot I can say about this other than the author tried to be more clever than he actually is. This was by no stretch of the imagination, either fun or enjoyable. Some of the others in the 100 that required manual map changes I’ve finished but this one I cannot and will not go on with because what I’ve seen is in my opinion awful. Judging by the screen-shots I’m about three quarters through but I can only stand so much.

  18. Unq
    Avoid It!

    I hated this pack with a vengeance. It’s overlong, directionless, and right in the same vein as Challenger Deep, minus a couple of bugs. Oh, and did I mention plenty of random choices, one of which leads to certain death? He even threw one into the training maps.

    Much of Conundrum is Egyptian themed, but it totally lacks atmosphere and believability (for example, that is a Sphinx in screenshot 51 above). The so-called puzzles are hit a button (or happen to wander into an invisible trigger) to open a new door somewhere – and repeat. The combat never gets tough, even though you’ll face just about every alien in HL and grunts. And something about the Nihilanth battle was glitched for me, I unloaded everything I had and he didn’t die.

    Luckily I didn’t come across many bugs except the Nihilanth and some level changes that fail to trigger reliably (particularly if you like to jump a lot). There’s no detail, no polish, and nothing particularly attractive about the maps. I can’t think of much good to say other than I’m sure it took a lot of work to make Conundrum and I’m glad to be done playing it.

  19. Unq

    For those that do play it, there is a walkthrough here.

  20. Think Twice

    As usual, I’m starting next mod with a training course. This course is called “Egyptian Trials”. The design is monotonous and not impressive: there’s only one texture! Here we’ll find out about making choices, climbing, swimming. There is a new climbing way – overhead bars. Nice find.

    Now let’s have a look at the mod itself. We start at the labs with monotonous texturing and slapdash design. At first I didn’t understand how to progress, but then I found the invisible trigger which temporarily opens one of the doors.

    There’s another such trigger in the next location, but the author was more generous this time: the door stays open and we see a cutscene which shows opened door.

    In the mountains I felt that I should ride in the truck, but an invisible wall showed that it’s not what I was supposed to do.

    After the room with crystals the way is blocked by the grate, I couldn’t advance without noclip.

    Later there are obstacles similar to Egyptian Trials, but harder. Sometimes the light comes out of nowhere. The distances are too long in some outdoor areas.

    In the cavern there will be another couple of noclip places.

    Near the big pyramid we’ll have to make a choice like in the training course. It’s like in the mod Betrayal, but boring this time.

    At one point, another door led me out of the map. I returned and found that I missed the changelevel.

    In the end we’ll make a choice, and as a result we will be teleported to tentacles or to Nihilanth, and nothing happens after that.

    Conclusion – the mod contains interesting ideas, but their realisation is slapdash.

  21. Hec
    Maybe?

    Condorum, what a strange name for this mod, I would better name it as Egiptology or something like that, and I think even that would be imprecise, because those layouts were not even close to an ancient egyptian environment, maybe those great white pyramids remember me to the ones in the pyramid mod for HL2, which is thousand times better than this, I don’t know if they are art of the same author, I think not, but I don’t know.

    I could feel the main lack of this mod was precisely into those pyramids structures, I mean HL built and that style is just a bad combinantion, i’d prefer, and I would give a higher rate if this mod would have been just into the egyptian style, some of the hallways were too empty and some doors got stucked, maybe the alien’s liar map was cool designed thinking in alien slaves but then we have lots of ups and downs in the gameplay.

    Also and finally having Nihiliat or whatever it calls the big guy, as the final boss it was a little bit odd and, having to combat him and dirctly kick his ass, was rough and a little annoying, I mean if u put that boss let me shoot some crystals in order to weaken him first, don’t just give me alot of medkits and weaponery to kick his ass, and don’t even kill him, because that’s what happened I put alot of ammo on him and arround 10 min latter a big wall.door got opened and I just get out of there!!, what a really suck final battle, also this mod abused alot on useless cut scenes that explain too few of the plot so I preffer not having them there please, so in conclussion there are worse mods than this and u can give it a try but u wont die if u don’t play this anyway….

  22. Maybe?

    This was the birthplace of the con maps on DM.

    Quite honestly I enjoyed this mod up until the Nihilanth battle and afterwards. This was made by the legendary DM mapper DocRock, the same person that also did the terrible mod Challenger Deep, which featured earlier in the 100SDoN.

    This mod was WAY too easy, and I think I only got hit by enemies on 3-4 occasions in the whole mod. There are a lot of areas that aren’t very clear and a lot of guessing had to be involved in some areas. There was also a massive lack of direction at times (and not the good kind like in Yume Nikki) which caused a lot of confusion, but at least there is a walkthrough to help you through it.

    If there are any regular DM players from Half-Life and Opposing Force, then they will probably be aware that some of the con DM maps were from this mod. There were three that I noticed in the mod, and they are worth checking out if you haven’t played them yet.

    I couldn’t actually get to the end of the mod due to a series of game breaking bugs. First of all, after killing Nihl the door didn’t open, then I was stuck in camera when the pyramid sank and finally I crashed when loading the map after the sunken pyramid one.

    I don’t think it is as bad as some of the reviewers have said so it’s worth a try.

  23. Avoid It!

    Wow. This is ****ing Horrible.

  24. Stuck in the zombie camp… what to do after killing all zombies? I was in the lil area besides the pyramid and the button in one of the houses doesn’t seem to do anything, so??

  25. Maybe?

    Pretty-made mod with extraordinary setting but sadly not that good as I first expected.

    Pro’s:
    -Own hazard course
    -Interesting egyptian setting
    -Some puzzles
    -Also some nice ideas (3D Tetris elevator xD)
    -Fair combat

    Con’s:
    -Some boring-looking areas, not very detailed
    -Long walkways
    -Weird scripts

  26. Ten Four Reviews

    The author, Ron Smith aka Doc Rock, says this is a level for those Half-Life players that likes to think rather than fight. It’s for those people that wouldn’t mind to hear about the author “boasting” three or four levels without a decent fight. I am not the above, and after playing through this drudgery, I consider myself the antithesis of the above; thus… so much for objectivity.

    To give Ron some credit, Conundrum is a massive, and at times very creative, project that must have been the end result of a lot of effort. That said, I just didn’t find this addon enjoyable at all. The enjoyment that could’ve been had for me was continually spoiled by distracting puzzles, which are the main features of this strategy-oriented level. Strategy is good, I don’t mind using my noggin’ every now and then. My major nitpick with Conundrum is that the puzzles are not strategic, and I there are a few puzzles in here that I don’t think anybody could like.

    Instead of basing Conundrum’s puzzles on realism and well planned clues, I found many of the puzzles impossible without a walkthrough (which, thank god, exists on the author’s website). Many of the puzzles don’t make such sense; such as getting some grenades to trigger a door, or standing in a corner to trigger a door. Not only are the triggers ill conceived, but they don’t last long and give you just enough time to dash to the opened door before it closes – many times I didn’t even know what door opened, so I found these kind of things to be ridiculously irksome.

    The puzzles is was the major disappointment in Conundrum, and it’s ironic because it is what was supposed to make this addon good; instead, this would’ve been a good addon had it not been for the puzzles. Throughout the many, many levels in Conundrum you will be taken through three main themes: base, cave, and Egyptian. The layout is unfortunately linear, although in a creative way. Despite, the challenges the puzzles will give you, Conundrum is not a level that will allow much exploration.

    Conundrum’s design is at par. Many areas feel rushed and void of details but the texture choices are appropriate if not a bit mundane. The major problem in design comes with the blatant HOM effects in some of the larger, more open areas, specifically the place with the giant pyramid, which seems to phase in and out of existance. The open, non-detailed appearance of Conundrum, on the plus side, does allow for some fair battles. The fights are somewhat easy due to an over supply of ammo, but there are a few setpieces that I enjoyed. The most commendable was the beginning of Lair of the Alien Slaves, but after the beginning, things became frustrating once more after the sordid puzzles kicked in. A few of the fights were just as stupid (I am talking specifically about the ones against the really big enemies, and even more specifically about Nihilanth). Nonetheless, if I had to pick one good aspect about Conundrum, it would be the fights.

    The bottom line is that Conundrum’s puzzles are not fun at all and that’s about all this addon has to offer. There may be a few players who enjoy this kind of stuff, but I don’t think there will be many. My advice to Ron would be to concentrate on the design and item placement more in future levels rather than inject the thing with a lethal dose of bad puzzles.

    Notes
    This review is republished here by permission and was originally published Monday, 25th September, 2000 by Jiang.

    This review was originally posted on the Ten Four Website, which is now offline. Permission has been granted to republish the full review and more details can be found on the About page.

  27. Cubasyz

    Guys who played, tell me how to get through the level TR21? please

    where the bottom has electricity

  28. Think Twice

    This mod get me boring a lot. Over thirty levels, every one is with simple puzzle. But many of them are so illogical or badly considered, that you can get stuck easily. Nevertheless all puzzles can be solved, but sometimes only using of cheats can help you to figure out, how the thing works. Level design is VERY plain, only few places and some elements of maps are designed cool. So play it, but don’t expect to much.

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