ok raygun so this error is fine then
pi@retropie:~/develop/attract $ sudo make install
flags: -Wl,--export-dynamic -DDATA_PATH=\"/usr/local/share/attract/\" -O2 -DNDEBUG -I/opt/vc/include -L/opt/vc/lib -Iextlibs/miniz -Iextlibs/audio/include -D__STDC_CONSTANT_MACROS -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/AL -Iextlibs/squirrel/include -Iextlibs/sqrat/include -Iextlibs/gameswf -DFE_RPI -DUSE_GLES -DUSE_FONTCONFIG -DUSE_AVRESAMPLE
fatal: No names found, cannot describe anything.
install -D -t /usr/local/bin attract
mkdir -p /usr/local/share/attract/
cp -r config/* /usr/local/share/attract/