Using C4D… I am not able to map a texture (ideally a HDR texture and alpha) to an area light. I know this can be done with an emissive texture, but I would like to also use the directionality feature of an area light. This is possible to do with V-Ray, and works very well.
+1
why not use a light material,
this has also directionality and makes it a reallight , a mesh light (is not same as emissive mat)
+1