Ever see a heuristic-based pathfinding algorithm at work? It's surprisingly similar to story-planning.
"...as for the Why: beyond the obvious financial motivation, it's exceedingly simple... because I can."
I'm just somepony who wants to finish a story. I hope you enjoy the ride along with me!
It's one thing to create/throw already-established characters in a story of some kind. It's another thing to develop those characters, regardless of the situation they're in.
The window through which we perceive life is what defines our experience of it. We are only aware of a small fraction of what our senses pick up. We can all choose how we see the world.