My favorite old game story was trying to get Doom deathmatch working with my friend. We both had one phone line - the concept of multiple was a crazy extravagance - so we'd be on the phone, tweak the modem settings, then try to call with the modem, but then somebody in the house might pick up, then you had to call back but then he wouldn't pick up because he thought you were calling with the modem, etc etc. Then even when you DID connect, it wouldn't work, so hang up and tweak the modem settings some more... just a total mess, the type of thing that isn't even an issue at all anymore.