Understanding Our Ecosystem

Three Platforms.
One Complete System.

The Press Start ecosystem connects three purpose-built platforms that work together to deliver creative technology education. This page explains what each platform does, who uses it, and how they all connect.

The Short Version

🎨
PS CoMiXX
Where students CREATE — comics, trading cards, covers, and visual stories
pressstart.space
📺
M.A.D Mixed Media
Where students LEARN — tutorials, showcases, and inspiration
madmixedmedia.com
🎓
Press Start Tech
Where teachers MANAGE — curriculum, XP, grades, and analytics
pressstart.tech
🎭
M.A.D. Talent Showcase
Where students PERFORM — motion capture, animation, live premiere
Signature Program

The Big Picture: How It All Works Together

Think of it like this: PS CoMiXX is the art studio where students make things. M.A.D Mixed Media is the library and theater where they learn and get inspired. Press Start Tech is the gradebook and command center where teachers manage everything.

A student might watch a tutorial on M.A.D Media to learn a technique, then open PS CoMiXX to create their project using that technique, then submit their work through Press Start Tech where their teacher grades it and awards XP. The student levels up, and their best work might even get featured back on M.A.D Media for other students to see.

That's the loop: Learn → Create → Submit → Earn XP → Get Featured → Repeat.

The Press Start Learning Loop

📺
Watch & Learn
M.A.D Media
🎨
Create Project
PS CoMiXX
📤
Submit Work
PS Tech LMS
Earn XP
Level Up!
🎭
Perform Live
M.A.D Showcase
🎨

PS CoMiXX

pressstart.space

PS CoMiXX is our creative studio application. It's where the actual making happens. Students use it to create comics, trading cards, book covers, posters, and other visual content. It runs entirely in the web browser — no downloads, no installations, no special hardware. If you can open a website, you can use PS CoMiXX.

What It Does

  • 📱
    Works on Any Device Chromebooks, iPads, Windows, Mac — anything with a web browser. Students can work at school or home on whatever device they have.
  • 📖
    Multiple Creation Modes Create multi-page comics, collectible trading cards, book covers, posters, and more. Each mode has templates designed for that format.
  • 🖼️
    Built-In Asset Library Backgrounds, characters, speech bubbles, effects, and filters. Students can also upload their own images.
  • 💾
    Save, Export & Share Save projects to continue later. Export finished work as images or PDFs. Submit directly to assignments in the LMS.

Who Uses It & How

👤
Students
Create their projects here. They log in, work on their comics or cards, save their progress, and export/submit when done.
👩‍🏫
Teachers
May demo the tool to show techniques, or use it themselves to create example projects. Primarily they review student work submitted from here.
🏛️
Administrators
Don't typically use this directly — they see the results in the LMS analytics. May view it during demos or evaluations.
📺

M.A.D Mixed Media

madmixedmedia.com

M.A.D Mixed Media is our streaming and content platform — think of it as YouTube meets MasterClass for creative education. Students come here to learn new skills through video tutorials, get inspired by featured student work, and see what's possible. It's where learning and entertainment meet.

What It Does

  • 🎬
    Tutorial Library Step-by-step video tutorials covering comic creation, character design, storytelling, color theory, and more. Organized by skill level from beginner to advanced.
  • 🏆
    Student Showcases The best student work gets featured on the platform. This motivates students to do their best — their work could be seen by thousands of peers.
  • 🎤
    Creator Spotlights Interviews with professional artists, game developers, and animators. Real industry insights for students interested in creative careers.
  • 📡
    Live Events Live-streamed workshops, competitions, and Q&A sessions. Interactive events that bring the community together.

Who Uses It & How

👤
Students
Watch tutorials to learn new skills before starting projects. Browse showcases for inspiration. Watch live events and creator interviews for motivation.
👩‍🏫
Teachers
Assign specific tutorials as "watch before class" homework. Use showcase content for class discussions. Link relevant tutorials to assignments in the LMS.
🏛️
Administrators
Review content quality during evaluations. See student work showcases as evidence of program outcomes. Share creator spotlights with stakeholders.
🎓

Press Start Tech (LMS)

pressstart.tech

Press Start Tech is our Learning Management System (LMS) — the command center where everything comes together. This is where curriculum lives, assignments are created and graded, XP is distributed, and progress is tracked. If PS CoMiXX is the art studio and M.A.D Media is the library, Press Start Tech is the office where all the organizing happens.

What It Does

  • 📋
    Curriculum & Syllabus Management Create courses, build syllabi, organize lessons, and distribute assignments. Use our pre-built standards-aligned curriculum or create your own.
  • XP & Gamification System Award XP for completed work, participation, and achievements. Students see their XP, level, and badges. Leaderboards create friendly competition.
  • 📊
    Analytics & Reporting Track student progress, completion rates, engagement levels. Generate reports for administrators, school boards, and stakeholders.
  • 👥
    Role-Based Access Different dashboards for district admins, school admins, teachers, and students. Everyone sees exactly what they need.

Who Uses It & How

👤
Students
View assignments and due dates. Submit completed work. Check their XP, level, badges, and leaderboard position. See feedback from teachers.
👩‍🏫
Teachers
Create and assign projects. Grade submissions and provide feedback. Award XP. Monitor class progress. Link to tutorials on M.A.D Media.
🏛️
Administrators
Manage schools and teachers. Set district-wide curriculum standards. View aggregate analytics across all schools. Generate reports for stakeholders.
👤

The Student Journey

Here's what a typical week looks like for a student using the Press Start ecosystem. This flow shows how all three platforms work together in practice.

1
📺 M.A.D Media
Watch the Tutorial
Teacher assigns a tutorial on character design. Student watches the 10-minute video to learn the technique before class.
2
🎨 PS CoMiXX
Create the Project
Using what they learned, student opens PS CoMiXX and creates their own character. They work on it over several sessions, saving progress.
3
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Submit for Credit
When finished, student exports their work and submits it through the LMS. Teacher reviews it, provides feedback, and awards XP.
4
⭐ All Platforms
Level Up!
XP adds to their total. They might level up or earn a badge. Outstanding work may get featured on M.A.D Media for others to see.
🎯

What Students Get

Real creative skills, a growing portfolio of work, the satisfaction of leveling up, and potential recognition through showcases.

👩‍🏫

The Teacher Journey

Teachers primarily work in the LMS, but the other platforms are important parts of their workflow. Here's how it all fits together.

1
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Set Up Curriculum
At the start of the term, teacher sets up their course using pre-built curriculum or their own lessons. Configures XP values for different activities.
2
🎓 PS Tech + 📺 M.A.D
Assign Projects
Creates assignments with clear instructions and rubrics. Links to relevant tutorials on M.A.D Media so students can learn the required techniques.
3
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Grade & Award XP
Reviews submitted student work. Provides written feedback. Awards XP based on rubric criteria. The system handles leveling and badges automatically.
4
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Monitor & Report
Uses the dashboard to track class progress. Identifies students who need support. Generates progress reports for parent conferences or admin reviews.
📈

What Teachers Get

Ready-made curriculum that saves prep time, gamification that keeps students engaged, and clear data on learning outcomes.

🏛️

The Administrator Journey

District and school administrators work almost entirely within the LMS, using it to manage programs, oversee teachers, and report to stakeholders.

1
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Deploy & Configure
Set up the platform for your district. Add schools, configure admin access, establish district-wide curriculum standards and requirements.
2
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Manage Schools
Oversee multiple schools from one dashboard. Assign school-level admins. Distribute curriculum. Ensure consistency across the district.
3
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Monitor Analytics
View district-wide engagement and completion data. Compare performance across schools. Identify trends and areas needing attention.
4
🎓 PS Tech LMS
Report to Stakeholders
Generate comprehensive reports for school boards, funding bodies, and community stakeholders. Show ROI with real engagement and outcome data.
🏆

What Administrators Get

Visibility into program effectiveness, measurable outcomes for stakeholders, and efficient management of creative education at scale.

Integration

How the Platforms Connect

Data flows between all three platforms automatically. Here's what happens behind the scenes.

CoMiXX → LMS: Student projects export and submit directly to assignments for grading.
LMS → CoMiXX: Assignment briefs and requirements can display in the creation tool.
LMS → M.A.D: Top-rated student work gets flagged for potential showcase featuring.
M.A.D → LMS: Tutorial watch completion can be tracked and earn bonus XP.
All → Student Profile: Unified portfolio showing all work and achievements across platforms.
All → Analytics: Engagement data from all platforms flows to admin dashboards.

FAQ

Common Questions

Do students need separate accounts for each platform?

No. Students use a single sign-on (SSO) that works across all three platforms. One login, one password, access to everything.

Can we use just one or two platforms instead of all three?

Yes — each platform works independently. But the real power comes when they work together, creating the full learning loop with seamless progress tracking.

What devices are supported?

All platforms are browser-based: Chromebooks, Windows, Mac, tablets, phones. No software to install. PS CoMiXX works best on larger screens for detailed creation work.

How does the XP system work?

Teachers configure XP values in the LMS. Students earn XP for completing assignments, watching tutorials, participating, and hitting milestones. XP accumulates to unlock levels and badges.

Is the curriculum aligned with standards?

Yes. Our pre-built curriculum aligns with Common Core, state standards, and ISTE standards. Teachers can also create custom curriculum for specific needs.

How do we get started?

Contact us for a demo. We'll walk through each platform, discuss your needs, and help plan implementation for your school or district.

Ready to See It in Action?

Schedule a demo and we'll walk you through the entire ecosystem — live.