I’d appreciate it if people could answer this question without giving any spoilers for the main-quest after my current point. And I should mention that this post itself does contain minor spoilers for the main-quest up to my current point, in what I believe, is still early in the game.

I recently reached Diamond City and have been sent to find Nick Valentine. I’ve been focusing almost entirely on the main-quest so far because I like to at least semi-rp my characters and it feels weird to off on side quests when I should be looking for my son. Does there come a point in the game when, before the main-quest actually ends (when, I assume, things about the world might change, and if I’m wrong please don’t correct me) that I can go off on some side quests without feeling guilty?

Again, please answer this without providing spoilers for anything further in the main-quest. If the question can’t be answered without spoilers, that’s fine. I’d rather not get an answer that get a spoiler. (To be fair, I suppose either yes or no would itself be a spoiler, but either of those would be fine)

Yes

In fact I did it before ever going to DC and talking to Nick as they never give you any direction aside from, "go that way."

Yes, in 2 or 3 more quests there is a point when it gets to a nice break. Some people call it the end of act 1 (even though there aren't acts, but yes)