First of all, a brief foreword. I have low standards for framerate. 25 fps is smooth enough for me to fully enjoy a game, and anything beyond that is not really an issue. When it's bad enough for me to complain abouw low framerate, then it's REALLY bad.

When playing fallout 4, i get smooth (by my standards) framerates in all interior cells, in sparse overworld areas (pretty much all the rural parts) and even in diamond city, since it is just a big interior cell.

But i'm noticing that i get cripplingly low framerates in the busier parts of the overworld. Most notably around the corvega plant, and pretty much all the overworld urban areas outside of diamond city.

These areas just have a ton of mesh detail visible everywhere you look, for long distances, and fighting battles in them is really not fun.

My PC specs are a bit low midrange, I think they should be adequate for this, and i get higher framerates in almost every other game ever made

AMD FX 4300 - 3.8 GHZ quad core

Radeon R9 270x video card

8GB DDR3 Ram

Around corvega, my framerate tends to hover between 13-19 fps, which is just too low, it makes combat a nightmare. That place has a million pipes and metal seethrough stairs, and so many shadows everywhere.

Here are the video settings i'm currently using:

http://i.imgur.com/7ighc0L.png

http://i.imgur.com/z3G7X41.png

http://i.imgur.com/ouC7ttU.png

(note, my monitor is 4:3, 1280x1024, and i'm using this mod to make that aspect ratio work: http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/143/)

The resolution/ratio doesn't appear properly in the above screenshots, it shows as widescreen, but thats not what im using)

I'd like suggestions on what changes to make to improve framerates in dense areas. And i'm also open to suggestions of mods to help the issue too. Anything i can do to make this better would be nice

You have already picked the two key heavy settings to reduce which are Shadows to Low and Godrays to Low. You could see how it behaves with AA off although at 1280x1024 the jaggies might be noticeable. At least it is easy to change your mind.

I would turn off settings really.

There isn't much point to having a High Texture quality if the monitor is not up to the task of presenting those textures and effects. It sounds like to me your monitor is a problem as even an HDTV would be an improvement.

You want to get yourself back over to Nexus and look up INI Tweaks.

Have a look around for stuff that will give you information on adjusting the shadows and also change the amount or rather Density of Grass (also effects shrubs)

Mostly the real tweaking will happen in the INI files.

Dang that's low FPS, sounds like your CPU is not up to the task.

Turn off DOF, Wetness, Rain Occlusion, Motion Blur, Lens Flare,

Shadow Distance will also effect FPS,

Godrays turn it off even just having it on will soak up FPS.

AA shut it off.

Shadow distance is the most taxing setting in FO4.

Set it to medium and you will definitely see an improvement.

Edit: Ok nevermind, I just saw screenshots

This mods will help you:
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/1822/

Here is Gopher's video on it:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T7DOT3B07Ns

Also EnBoost has never failed me:
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/332/?

This texture mod:
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/978/?
Or this one:
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/1204/?
Plus this one:
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/1769/?


You can also check out these:
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/searchresults/?src_cat=26

Also turn off the "Screen Space Reflection". It should give you a +5 in many areas.

Actually, i'm pretty sure there's no point in ANY setting of texture quality.

http://www.gamersnexus.net/game-bench/2181-fallout-4-texture-resolution-comparison

visual difference is basically nonexistent, and the performance difference is so small that it can't really be considered a difference at all, and is probably just natural variance

Huh, that's odd. I've got a 270X, and it tried to tell me to go with Ultra settings. I went with High instead, and have Godrays low & Actor distance pretty high. I don't know my exact framerate, but It's got to be at least 40 because it's at least as smooth as Skyrim was for me at that FPS. Only place I have problems is in the busiest parts of downtown Boston (like around Faneuil Hall or Trinity Plaza), and only after playing for awhile. Certainly didn't have any problems around Corvega.

You can try setting Fallout 4 to be high CPU priority from your task manager

That's bc you have godrays turned low, as Corvega is super heavy on the lighting

currently working through this list. thank you, these look to be quite helpful

i find the heaviest performance impact of all, to be standing on some high stairs at corvega, and look down at lexington.

I get a solid, unyielding 12 fps as long as i look in that direction

curiousity. What's your cpu?

I'm pretty sure mine is the weak link in my build

i5-2400. Build is in my sig.

(what are you using to measure FPS, btw?)