Troubles with Fallout 4's frame rate? Here are some possible fixes.
Troubles with Fallout 4's frame rate? Here are some possible fixes.
For those experiencing significant frame rate drops without obvious causes, the problem might lie in the shadow distance adjustment within graphics settings. On my system, certain configurations allowed stable performance above 60fps even when shadow distance was increased. Adjusting it to medium still provided solid results, while raising it further reduced frames to the 40s and below. Turning it back to medium achieved consistent 60fps. This suggests the shadow distance optimization could be affecting performance. It might relate to AMD GPU behavior, though I’m open to other explanations. If you’re on a 290 and encountering similar issues, consider reporting your findings—especially if you’ve tested other hardware. Two friends using different GPUs didn’t see the same problems at 1080p ultra settings, which adds to the speculation.
It appears AMD graphics cards don't perform well with Fallout 4.
I also have those drops. My Card setup is a bit crazy. But Gsync really secures the day.
It's not about optimization and it has no connection to Gameworks. The high and ultra shadow distance significantly increases draw calls compared to medium distance. AMD's driver handles fewer draw calls, which explains the performance drop. Recent AAA games, particularly open worlds, are already constrained by D3D11. Unity, Arkham Knight, Watch Dogs, and even Dying Light all faced these limitations before optimizing their draw distances. This was primarily due to an outdated API.
Sure, I can adjust the settings to medium shadow distance and let you know if the frame rate improves or becomes more stable. This will help gather clearer data for others to review. Yes, it seems we're reaching DX11 limits in shadow detail handling—your observation is spot on.
Confirmed. Using medium shadow distance significantly lowers the drops. At a single spot, frames drop to 35 and remain at minimum 70. (1440p remains the maximum)