How does seed work?

[Solly1997]

Or I guess a different way to pose what I’m wondering about - how do the animations relate to the outcome?

 

What I mean by that is, if I’m playing mines - are the mines really on those particular squares, waiting to be uncovered? Or is that turn in the seed pre-determined to have a max limit, and once the risk you take surpasses that, that’s when the mine populates?

 

I wonder this when I’m playing Hilo - does it really matter which card I pick? Or am I just testing the potential of that seed? 
 

I hope that makes sense