neondx,
Ball reaction can be a very strange thing. I have always said that balls should be rated on their hook potential rather than just saying "this ball hooks more than that one", because that isn't always true.
Many factors are involved, but the best analogy I have ever seen has been a comparison between a balls "hookability" and a cars gas mileage.
A "high performance" ball (like the vivid) will use more energy going down the lane, simply because they generate more friction. The friction is what allows for a higher hook rating, but also causes the ball to burn up its energy quicker.
Like a car, if your ball runs out of fuel (burns all the release energy) before it finishes it trip (reaches the breakpoint), there won't be anything left in the tank to make the last turn (has no energy left at the breakpoint to make the turn). No matter what hook potential the ball has, it won't do it if all the energy is already gone.
Plain and simply, if the ball you are using is too strong for the condition and your release, it is running out of energy before the job is done.
On the other hand, the more economical model probably burns less energy, and still has some energy left when it reaches the destination, and can make that last turn much easier.
The Damage is a shiny, slick, pearlized ball that conserves energy very well, and has a very reactive cover which will read the dry breakpoint rather strongly, as long as it still has energy in it.
If you really liked the reaction you got from it, and aren't looking for a ball to do anything majorly different, my advice would be to stay with that same type of ball.
