GameSpot has posted a new movie (called "Developer Interview 3") in which the Sims 2 team looks back on the development of the game. Included is a feature which describes the time at the Maxis offices a week before the release. Most developers took some well-earned vacation time back then. The article also mentions the "Up-Against-the-Wall Wall" which has all notes with red "Done" stamps on it. There's also a bit about the future:

"On one section of wall, there are clippings and articles from much of the mainstream press coverage that The Sims 2 has received. On another, there's a graph of the number of bugs in the project over the course of development. And there are already gaps in the walls--Maxis is preparing to make room for the next big thing. But Bradshaw won't reveal what that next big thing is. With a polite smile, the executive producer says, "There's so much territory that we can explore with The Sims." That's about as much as Bradshaw, or anyone else at Maxis, is willing to divulge at this point, though fans of the series can certainly expect that the sequel leaves room for future expansion."

You can read the 3-page looking back feature, or just watch the movie.