Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear and some images here are copyright Red Storm Entertainment, Inc., 2000.  All Rights Reserved. Images used with permission.
 
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Introduction

Deadly Protocol adds six new missions (part of a larger campaign) to your Urban Operations game.  The hefty download is largely made up of completely retextured maps.  The mod also offers as a freebie, The Rooster's 44 adversarial multiplayer maps.  However, I should note that not all of the missions are new (Operation Snow Wolf, for one).  Some of the missions had been previously released, but Deadly Protocol packs em all together. :)  Think of it as a total value pack from Serellan, with a final cohesiveness that includes some all-new voice-overs in the briefings.  My favorite mission?  By far Dark Revival, where you face off against terrorists dressed in authentic Nazi garb.  The mission is rounded out by its sound bytes of Hitler in the background.

Question: How well do the installation features work?  Is it easy to install?  Documentation?

Once you've downloaded the hefty Deadly Protocol (25 megs), simply double-click on the icon and the handy installer will do the rest of the work for you.  Quite frankly, ALL mods so be should so easy.  I also loved the fact that I could easily and quickly activate the mod thanks to the powers that be known as "Urban Operations."  The readme is adequate and does the job (it's also handy for copying descriptions).  My one complaint?  The uninstaller is not clearly labeled and can be difficult to locate; renaming the uninstaller to something more obvious would have solved the problem.  Overall good job here, Serellan.  Score: 19/20

Question: How original is this mod, in relation to its peers?  Anything strikingly new?

This mod is a high-quality production, without a doubt.  What about it makes it so high-quality?  Everything from the splash screen to the voice-overs for the briefings (definitely pretty impressive).  Although adding single player missions has been done since the days of Rainbow Six, the total package that Serellan offers is on par with the best out there.  Also, I should note that some of the missions are not new and have been released in prior mod packages.  So, quality is there, but nothing is totally shocking.  Score: 14/20

Question: How much does this mod affect gameplay?  Have such changes been considered?

Gameplay is less of a factor here (in terms of changing the way you play), but because the mod does offer six brand new single player missions, I have to applaud Serellan for extending the playability of Urban Operations.  I would have liked to have seen a bit more in terms of gameplay enhancements.  Score: 16/20

Question: How impressive are the visual and audio effects?

The first mission is by far the most impressively modified mission, in terms of textures.  I was really surprised and pleased with the map's total change in environment from a snowy outpost to a steamy jungle base.  However, later missions showed less and less texture-modification, so I was a bit disappointed.  Audio effects were superb; the added touch of Hitler yelling in my ear was truly a top-notch idea.  Score: 17/20.

Question: Are there any major bugs with the mod?  How well do the patches work?

Bugs?  What bugs?  The few bugs that I did find were pathfinding bugs relating to the terrorists.  But all in all, very nicely wrapped up.  Score: 19/20.

The Verdict

If you don't quite realize this yet, know that Serellan has put in hundreds of man hours to create this "total package."  Deadly Protocol was superbly executed, and perhaps one of my few real complaints in the end of it all was that the terrorists were simply too many (30+ per mission).  I would have liked to have seen less terrorists, but that's my opinion.  

So, should you get it?  If you've never picked up any of The Rooster's mods, THIS is the mod to pick up.  It packs in nearly every major project The Rooster has put together and really is an example of how single player mods should be put together: seamless installation, original missions, new map textures, and terrific voice-overs.