diff --git a/app/lib/simulator/Simulator.coffee b/app/lib/simulator/Simulator.coffee
index bbf9c1f3b..a22e43ee3 100644
--- a/app/lib/simulator/Simulator.coffee
+++ b/app/lib/simulator/Simulator.coffee
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ LevelLoader = require 'lib/LevelLoader'
 GoalManager = require 'lib/world/GoalManager'
 
 module.exports = class Simulator
+
   constructor: ->
     @retryDelayInSeconds = 10
-    @taskURL = "/queue/scoring"
-
+    @taskURL = '/queue/scoring'
 
   fetchAndSimulateTask: =>
     $.ajax
@@ -15,48 +15,45 @@ module.exports = class Simulator
       error: @handleFetchTaskError
       success: @setupSimulationAndLoadLevel
 
-  cleanupSimulation: ->
-
-
   handleFetchTaskError: (errorData) =>
     console.log "There were no games to score. Error: #{JSON.stringify errorData}"
     console.log "Retrying in #{@retryDelayInSeconds}"
-    _.delay @fetchAndSimulateTask, @retryDelayInSeconds * 1000
 
+    @simulateAnotherTaskAfterDelay()
+
+  simulateAnotherTaskAfterDelay: =>
+    retryDelayInMilliseconds = @retryDelayInSeconds * 1000
+    _.delay @fetchAndSimulateTask, retryDelayInMilliseconds
 
   setupSimulationAndLoadLevel: (taskData) =>
     @task = new SimulationTask(taskData)
     @superModel = new SuperModel()
     @god = new God()
+
     @levelLoader = new LevelLoader @task.getLevelName(), @superModel, @task.getFirstSessionID()
-
     @levelLoader.once 'loaded-all', @simulateGame
 
-
-
   simulateGame: =>
     @assignWorldAndLevelFromLevelLoaderAndDestroyIt()
     @setupGod()
+
     try
       @commenceSimulationAndSetupCallback()
-    catch e
-      console.log "There was an error in simulation. Trying again in #{retryDelayInSeconds} seconds"
-      console.log "Error #{e}"
-      _.delay @fetchAndSimulateTask, @retryDelayInSeconds * 1000
+    catch err
+      console.log "There was an error in simulation(#{err}). Trying again in #{retryDelayInSeconds} seconds"
+      @simulateAnotherTaskAfterDelay()
 
   assignWorldAndLevelFromLevelLoaderAndDestroyIt: ->
     @world = @levelLoader.world
     @level = @levelLoader.level
     @levelLoader.destroy()
 
-
   setupGod: ->
     @god.level = @level.serialize @supermodel
     @god.worldClassMap = world.classMap
     @setupGoalManager()
     @setupGodSpells()
 
-
   setupGoalManager: ->
     @god.goalManager = new GoalManager @world
     @god.goalManager.goals = @fetchGoalsFromWorldNoteChain()
@@ -66,7 +63,6 @@ module.exports = class Simulator
     @god.createWorld()
     Backbone.Mediator.subscribeOnce 'god:new-world-created', @processResults, @
 
-
   processResults: (simulationResults) ->
     taskResults = @formTaskResultsObject simulationResults
     sendResultsBackToServer taskResults
@@ -90,7 +86,7 @@ module.exports = class Simulator
     @cleanupSimulation()
     @fetchAndSimulateTask()
 
-
+  cleanupSimulation: ->
 
   formTaskResultsObject: (simulationResults) ->
     taskResults =
diff --git a/server/levels/level_handler.coffee b/server/levels/level_handler.coffee
index a663e7ecc..50f88c192 100644
--- a/server/levels/level_handler.coffee
+++ b/server/levels/level_handler.coffee
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ LevelHandler = class LevelHandler extends Handler
     'icon'
   ]
 
+  postEditableProperties: ['name']
+
   getByRelationship: (req, res, args...) ->
     return @getSession(req, res, args[0]) if args[1] is 'session'
     return @getLeaderboard(req, res, args[0]) if args[1] is 'leaderboard'
@@ -28,108 +30,134 @@ LevelHandler = class LevelHandler extends Handler
     return @getFeedback(req, res, args[0]) if args[1] is 'feedback'
     return @sendNotFoundError(res)
 
-  getSession: (req, res, id) ->
-    @getDocumentForIdOrSlug id, (err, level) =>
-      return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
-      return @sendNotFoundError(res) unless level?
-      return @sendUnauthorizedError(res) unless @hasAccessToDocument(req, level)
-
-      sessionQuery = {
-        level: {original: level.original.toString(), majorVersion: level.version.major}
-        creator: req.user.id
-      }
-
-      # TODO: generalize this for levels that need teams
-      team = req.query.team
-      team ?= 'humans' if level.name is 'Project DotA'
-      sessionQuery.team = team if team
-      
-      Session.findOne(sessionQuery).exec (err, doc) =>
-        return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
-        if doc
-          @sendSuccess(res, doc)
-          return
-
-        initVals = sessionQuery
-        initVals.state = {complete:false, scripts:{currentScript:null}} # will not save empty objects
-        initVals.permissions = [{target:req.user.id, access:'owner'}, {target:'public', access:'write'}]
-        initVals.team = team if team
-        session = new Session(initVals)
-        session.save (err) =>
-          return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
-          @sendSuccess(res, @formatEntity(req, session))
-          # TODO: tying things like @formatEntity and saveChangesToDocument don't make sense
-          # associated with the handler, because the handler might return a different type
-          # of model, like in this case. Refactor to move that logic to the model instead.
-
-  getAllSessions: (req, res, id) ->
-    @getDocumentForIdOrSlug id, (err, level) =>
-      return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
-      return @sendNotFoundError(res) unless level?
-      return @sendUnauthorizedError(res) unless @hasAccessToDocument(req, level)
-
-      sessionQuery = {
-        level: {original: level.original.toString(), majorVersion: level.version.major}
-        #creator: req.user.id
-        submitted: true
-      }
-      Session.find sessionQuery, '_id totalScore submitted team creatorName', (err, results) =>
-        return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
-        res.send(results)
-        res.end()
-        
-  getLeaderboard: (req, res, id) ->
-    # stub handler
-#    [original, version] = id.split('.')
-#    version = parseInt version
-#    console.log 'get leaderboard for', original, version, req.query
-    [original, version] = id.split '.'
-    version = parseInt(version) or 0
-
-    req.query.order = parseInt(req.query.order) or -1
-    req.query.scoreOffset = parseInt(req.query.scoreOffset) ? 100000
-    req.query.team ?= 'humans'
-    req.query.limit ?= parseInt(req.query.limit) or 20
-
-
-    if parseInt(req.query.order) is 1
-      scoreQuery = {"$gte":parseFloat req.query.scoreOffset}
-    else
-      scoreQuery = {"$lte": parseFloat req.query.scoreOffset}
-
-    sessionsQuery =
-      level: {original: original, majorVersion: version}
-      team: req.query.team
-      totalScore: scoreQuery
-      submitted: true
-
-    sortObject =
-      "totalScore": parseInt(req.query.order)
-    query = Session.find(sessionsQuery).sort(sortObject).limit(parseInt req.query.limit)
-    Session.find sessionsQuery, 'totalScore creatorName creator', (err, resultSessions) =>
-      return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
-      if resultSessions
-        return @sendSuccess res, resultSessions
-      res.send([])
-
-  getFeedback: (req, res, id) ->
+  fetchLevelByIDAndHandleErrors: (id, req, res, callback) ->
     @getDocumentForIdOrSlug id, (err, level) =>
       return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
       return @sendNotFoundError(res) unless level?
       return @sendUnauthorizedError(res) unless @hasAccessToDocument(req, level, 'get')
+      callback err, level
 
-      feedbackQuery = {
+  getSession: (req, res, id) ->
+    @fetchLevelByIDAndHandleErrors id, req, res, (err, level) =>
+      sessionQuery =
+        level:
+          original: level.original.toString()
+          majorVersion: level.version.major
+        creator: req.user.id
+
+      # TODO: generalize this for levels that need teams
+      if req.query.team?
+        sessionQuery.team = req.query.team
+      else if level.name is 'Project DotA'
+        sessionQuery.team = 'humans'
+      
+      Session.findOne(sessionQuery).exec (err, doc) =>
+        return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
+        return @sendSuccess(res, doc) if doc?
+        @createAndSaveNewSession sessionQuery, req, res
+
+
+  createAndSaveNewSession: (sessionQuery, req, res) =>
+    initVals = sessionQuery
+
+    initVals.state =
+      complete:false
+      scripts:
+        currentScript:null # will not save empty objects
+
+    initVals.permissions = [
+      {
+        target:req.user.id
+        access:'owner'
+      }
+      {
+        target:'public'
+        access:'write'
+      }
+    ]
+    session = new Session(initVals)
+
+    session.save (err) =>
+      return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
+      @sendSuccess(res, @formatEntity(req, session))
+      # TODO: tying things like @formatEntity and saveChangesToDocument don't make sense
+      # associated with the handler, because the handler might return a different type
+      # of model, like in this case. Refactor to move that logic to the model instead.
+
+  getAllSessions: (req, res, id) ->
+    @fetchLevelByIDAndHandleErrors id, req, res, (err, level) =>
+      sessionQuery =
+        level:
+          original: level.original.toString()
+          majorVersion: level.version.major
+        submitted: true
+
+      propertiesToReturn = [
+        '_id'
+        'totalScore'
+        'submitted'
+        'team'
+        'creatorName'
+      ]
+
+      query = Session
+        .find(sessionQuery)
+        .select(propertiesToReturn.join ' ')
+
+      query.exec (err, results) =>
+        if err then @sendDatabaseError(res, err) else @sendSuccess res, results
+
+  getLeaderboard: (req, res, id) ->
+    @validateLeaderboardRequestParameters req
+    [original, version] = id.split '.'
+    version = parseInt(version) ? 0
+    scoreQuery = {}
+    scoreQuery[if req.query.order is 1 then "$gte" else "$lte"] = req.query.scoreOffset
+
+    sessionsQueryParameters =
+      level:
+        original: original
+        majorVersion: version
+      team: req.query.team
+      totalScore: scoreQuery
+      submitted: true
+
+    sortParameters =
+      "totalScore": req.query.order
+
+    selectProperties = [
+      'totalScore'
+      'creatorName'
+      'creator'
+    ]
+
+    query = Session
+      .find(sessionsQueryParameters)
+      .limit(req.query.limit)
+      .sort(sortParameters)
+      .select(selectProperties.join ' ')
+
+    query.exec (err, resultSessions) =>
+      return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
+      resultSessions ?= []
+      @sendSuccess res, resultSessions
+
+  validateLeaderboardRequestParameters: (req) ->
+    req.query.order = parseInt(req.query.order) ? -1
+    req.query.scoreOffset = parseFloat(req.query.scoreOffset) ? 100000
+    req.query.team ?= 'humans'
+    req.query.limit = parseInt(req.query.limit) ? 20
+
+  getFeedback: (req, res, id) ->
+    @fetchLevelByIDAndHandleErrors id, req, res, (err, level) =>
+      feedbackQuery =
         creator: mongoose.Types.ObjectId(req.user.id.toString())
         'level.original': level.original.toString()
         'level.majorVersion': level.version.major
-      }
 
       Feedback.findOne(feedbackQuery).exec (err, doc) =>
         return @sendDatabaseError(res, err) if err
         return @sendNotFoundError(res) unless doc?
         @sendSuccess(res, doc)
-        return
-
-  postEditableProperties: ['name']
 
 module.exports = new LevelHandler()
diff --git a/server/levels/sessions/level_session_schema.coffee b/server/levels/sessions/level_session_schema.coffee
index 8f1a6beaa..4073d25ef 100644
--- a/server/levels/sessions/level_session_schema.coffee
+++ b/server/levels/sessions/level_session_schema.coffee
@@ -1,73 +1,138 @@
 c = require '../../commons/schemas'
 
-LevelSessionPlayerSchema = c.object {
-  id: c.objectId(links: [{rel: 'extra', href: "/db/user/{($)}"}])
-  time: { type: 'Number' }
-  changes: { type: 'Number' }
-}
+LevelSessionPlayerSchema = c.object
+  id: c.objectId
+    links: [
+      {
+        rel: 'extra'
+        href: "/db/user/{($)}"
+      }
+    ]
+  time:
+    type: 'Number'
+  changes:
+    type: 'Number'
 
-LevelSessionLevelSchema = c.object {required: ['original', 'majorVersion']}, {
+
+LevelSessionLevelSchema = c.object {required: ['original', 'majorVersion']},
   original: c.objectId({})
-  majorVersion: {type: 'integer', minimum: 0, default: 0}}
+  majorVersion:
+    type: 'integer'
+    minimum: 0
+    default: 0
 
-LevelSessionSchema = c.object {
+
+LevelSessionSchema = c.object
   title: "Session"
   description: "A single session for a given level."
-}
+
 
 _.extend LevelSessionSchema.properties,
   # denormalization
-  creatorName: { type: 'string' }
-  levelName: { type: 'string' }
-  levelID: { type: 'string' }
-  multiplayer: { type: 'boolean' }
+  creatorName:
+    type: 'string'
+  levelName:
+    type: 'string'
+  levelID:
+    type: 'string'
+  multiplayer:
+    type: 'boolean'
+  creator: c.objectId
+    links:
+      [
+        {
+          rel: 'extra'
+          href: "/db/user/{($)}"
+        }
+      ]
+  created: c.date
+    title: 'Created'
+    readOnly: true
+
+  changed: c.date
+    title: 'Changed'
+    readOnly: true
 
-  creator: c.objectId(links: [{rel: 'extra', href: "/db/user/{($)}"}])
-  created: c.date( { title: 'Created', readOnly: true })
-  changed: c.date( { title: 'Changed', readOnly: true })
   team: c.shortString()
   level: LevelSessionLevelSchema
-  screenshot: { type: 'string' }
-  state: c.object {}, {
-    complete: { type: 'boolean' }
-    scripts: c.object {}, {
-      ended: { type: 'object', additionalProperties: { type: 'number' }}
-      currentScript: { type: ['null', 'string']}
-      currentScriptOffset: { type: 'number' }}
-    selected: { type: ['null', 'string'] }
-    playing: { type: 'boolean' }
-    frame: { type: 'number' }
-    thangs: { type: 'object', additionalProperties: {
-      title: 'Thang'
+
+  screenshot:
+    type: 'string'
+
+  state: c.object {},
+    complete:
+      type: 'boolean'
+    scripts: c.object {},
+      ended:
+        type: 'object'
+        additionalProperties:
+          type: 'number'
+      currentScript:
+        type: [
+          'null'
+          'string'
+        ]
+      currentScriptOffset:
+        type: 'number'
+
+    selected:
+      type: [
+        'null'
+        'string'
+      ]
+    playing:
+      type: 'boolean'
+    frame:
+      type: 'number'
+    thangs:
       type: 'object'
-      properties: {
-        methods: { type: 'object', additionalProperties: {
-          title: 'Thang Method'
-          type: 'object'
-          properties: {
-            metrics: { type: 'object' }
-            source: { type: 'string' }
-          }
-        }}
-      }
-    }}
-  }
+      additionalProperties:
+        title: 'Thang'
+        type: 'object'
+        properties:
+          methods:
+            type: 'object'
+            additionalProperties:
+              title: 'Thang Method'
+              type: 'object'
+              properties:
+                metrics:
+                  type: 'object'
+                source:
+                  type: 'string'
   
   # TODO: specify this more
-  code: { type: 'object' }
+  code:
+    type: 'object'
+
   teamSpells:
     type: 'object'
     additionalProperties:
       type: 'array'
 
+  players:
+    type: 'object'
 
-  players: { type: 'object' }
-  chat: { type: 'array' }
+  chat:
+    type: 'array'
 
-  meanStrength: {type: 'number', default: 25}
-  standardDeviation: {type:'number', default:25/3, minimum: 0}
-  totalScore: {type: 'number', default: 10}
-  submitted: {type: 'boolean', default: false, index:true}
+  meanStrength:
+    type: 'number'
+    default: 25
+
+  standardDeviation:
+    type:'number'
+    default:25/3
+    minimum: 0
+
+  totalScore:
+    type: 'number'
+    default: 10
+
+  submitted:
+    type: 'boolean'
+    default: false
+    index:true
 
 c.extendBasicProperties LevelSessionSchema, 'level.session'
 c.extendPermissionsProperties LevelSessionSchema, 'level.session'