When I started this whole transmog project a couple of weeks ago, I never thought I would be engaged so much.
No really, how sad the multiple re-runs of stale raids on multiple toons may seem on paper? And yet it appeared to be the coolest activity during my lull!
It has multiple attractions.
Obviously – this is transmog options, which grow in numbers. Some unexpected weapons are craving for a custom set! And I finally know what my orc warrior must wear – the Sunwell armor. It has everything in it: bleaky red colors which don’t exactly shout out Horde uniform, modest decoration, yet pretty complex design to look like a hero, not an NPC mook! Just perfect!
Obviously – this is collections, because sense of completion is one of the most exciting things in the game.
Less obviously – cash! Raids Cataclysm and on really start to count, and cha-ching after raids is most comforting to my pauper toon roster! Tip: if short on bag space, prefer taking trash items, grey to blue. All the purple boss loot will be mailed to you anyways!
And least obvious – the overall activity excitement. This is about luck – and genuine happiness when a desired item drops. This is about no-rush: you don’t have to manage to complete a set to a date. For current sets, I tend to follow my own Ahead of the Curve: it must be collected before next patch. With older sets, I don’t have this urge. I can pick up or drop the runs at any time given. I can pick any toon, go to any raid.
This is about total freedom. This is about a major goal – and hundreds of minor goals on the way. This is awesome.
My gaming time is now 100% productive, 100% fun, and 100% makes me excited about logging in. Wow – simply wow!
Gnomecore 
Your point about major goals with minor goals on the way hits the nail on the head; the sense of progress… it’s meta; it’s not ‘required’ but yet we have our major goal and for me Achievements is perfect – I was so pleased to see them add achievements for unlocked full Tier sets. The game is huge, it’s great to have reasons to go exploring otherwise “old” content that doesn’t drive our iLevel up or the story forwards but yet we can get sometimes even more immersed because it’s an adventure we’ve set for ourselves, and wanting to do something of your own volition vs being directed usually results in more enthusiasm!
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