Beauty can be a strange and elusive concept. Some use the word to describe a woman's body, while others might use it to illustrate the elegance of a vehicle, a work of art, or a country vista. Me? Well, I've always thought of guns as beautiful.

At its heart, a firearm is an incredibly simple device -- you point at what's bothering you, press a button, and that ostensibly solves the problem. As Max Payne put it, "Firing a gun is a binary choice. You either pull the trigger or you don't...." 

The beauty of weaponry lies in their almost perverse versatility. Despite having such a simple objective -- killing another human being -- a gun happens to offer its operator plenty of options. And aren't options pivotal in developing a great game?

As usual, I'm here to share a few short thoughts on the origins, importance, and future of weapon customization. But first, a little history....

After the concept of customization made its debut in the dark, foggy arcades of the 1980s, gamers quickly started to demand that developers include and build upon this feature in future games. Weapon modification quickly leaped from a simple gimmick to a key selling point. While 1987's Mega Man may have mentioned its impressive arsenal, Army of Two sold itself on the basis of its versatile gadgets and guns alone.

So where did this sudden desire for customizable weapons come from? Maybe players felt the need to "express themselves" via adjustable attachments. Think about it: What ammo type best reflects who you are?

A better explanation might include the industry's strange obsession with realism. In most modern militaries, soldiers take it upon themselves to modify their standard-issue firearms. A soldier's superior may often encourage him to a install muzzle-mounted flashlight or a reflex sight because they are sometimes necessary.Suffice it to say, refitting your rifle to personal specifications is a common, "realistic" ritual.

While not necessarily the originator, Counter-Strike popularized personalized load-outs with its purchasing system. Battlefield 2 perfected the balance between versatility and plausibility by rewarding teamwork and weapon specialization. Embarrassingly, Army of Two: The 40th Day took the entire formula and threw it into the trash. I mean, gold-plated AK-47s? EA Montreal, you should know better.

Maybe pure realism isn't what we're looking for. After all, weapon add-ons are rarely free.Even in Counter-Strike, the more effective a weapon is, the larger the price tag. Seventy progressively longer levels separated Modern Warfare 2 players from the Model 1887s and AK-47, the most threatening guns available in-game. In a sense, weapon customization provides developers with a simple yet appealing role-playing mechanism. By forcing players to unlock add-ons for their weapons, Modern Warfare 2 and similar games instill a sense of permanence to each player's accomplishments.Let's just say, by carrying a pimped-out .50-cal sniper rifle, you're sending a message to other players.

The future of character customization, especially in multiplayer games, rests on its ability to affect gameplay. With the help of a few heartbeat sensors, Modern Warfare 2 proves that even fictitious add-ons can turn a regular deathmatch game on its head.

Whether weapon-mod-friendly games draw you in with their realism, sense of uniqueness, or gameplay perks doesn't matter. At the end of the day, we can all agree that a tricked out M4 is a cool, cool thing. Right?