Perhaps the most controversial category of skins was the Transparent or "Clear" AWP.
Valve did not introduce randomized paint jobs or stat tracking until Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2012. So why is there so much traffic for "CS 1.6 AWP skins"?
Competitive players are obsessed with field of view (FOV) and screen real estate. The AWP is a large gun. Some modders created skins where the body of the rifle was partially or entirely transparent. You could see the polygons of the gun, but you could also see through the gun to the wall behind you.
So, next time you boot up de_dust2 on your old 1.6 client, take a second to appreciate the green, boring default AWP. Then, immediately replace it with a neon tiger-striped monstrosity. Because in CS 1.6, the only person you need to impress is yourself.
Your AWP will appear with the new skin. Other players will still see the default green/black AWP.
Because there is no official economy, skins for the AWP in 1.6 fall into three main vibes:
