As title says I suggest splitting this module to 'Content Levels' & 'degrade'

As 'degrade' functionality can be done with better ways using rules module.
Then the 'Content Levels' part should be based on any cck field that is type of integer.

Doing it this way will achieve the following:

  1. Degrade can be scheduled on time / period from post date on on many other ways as Rules module offers.
  2. the cck level field will be integer which can check box, text box with allowed values, list box with translatable titles and so on.