1) The TPAD makes use of the DE2-115 development board. The VGA out will at least support 1280x600.
2) I don't believe that the NIOS on Quartus 10 is unstable, I have been using it for a while now without problems.
3) I know everyone here is more than willing to help. Get as far as you can, and then ask for help. Posting the code you are using and the specific problem you are having will get you answers fairly fast. If you are lacking basic knowledge on something, we will be more than willing to help you find the right book or specification that will help you understand what you need to know.